Dietary Religious Restrictions
 

Biological engineering is getting more and more advanced, and from this arises certain issues. While cloning and the like are interesting subjects, I'm more interested in trivial things.

For example, it may soon be possible recreate biological tissue; muscles, organs, etc. If one were to recreate bacon or pork from molecules, and as such, the meat had never been near a pig, could a Jewish person eat it? How about cowless beef for a Hindu? If I recall correctly (and I may very well not) those religious restrictions are tied to the animal itself, not to the meat. Cows are sacred, for example.

If the meat was never the animal, is it ok it eat?

Here's some reading on the general subject that has been debated on this forum:
Growing Meat in Test Tubes...

Jews wouldn't eat it.

I think some individuals would and some wouldn't to be "safe". Eventually the official decision would be that they could because all religions must evolve with us or die off. I'm surprised they havn't changed their diety (deity pun!) ways yet, actually.