Search Results for: novel food

New Chinese Government Documents Indicate Support for Alternative Proteins & Novel Foods

March 6, 2025

Two new documents released ahead of the Chinese government’s annual Two Sessions Summit have raised hopes of increased support for alternative proteins in the country. As reported by GFI APAC, the first document is an official notice from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs outlining “Key Areas of National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation” for 2024-2028. It identifies agricultural processing and food manufacturing as a priority, including research into novel foods to “create a new generation of food to meet new scenarios and special needs”. The document also mentions the importance of agricultural product quality and safety, including studies to assess the safety and nutritional efficacy of alternative proteins and other novel resources. This could potentially accelerate the development of a regulatory approval framework …

Approvals

Mosa Meat Files for Novel Food Approval in Switzerland

February 7, 2025

Just weeks after filing the EU’s first cultivated beef dossier, Mosa Meat has taken a similar step in Switzerland, seeking novel food approval with backing from Bell Switzerland. This application specifically covers cultivated fat, an ingredient designed to enhance plant-based products by adding rich, authentic beef flavor to items such as burgers and meatballs. The Dutch company states that cultivated fat can enhance plant-based foods by improving taste and texture. “Thousands of hours of work by our employees and analyses by six independent laboratories have gone into this dossier, and we have the utmost confidence that Swiss regulators will find our product exceeds the robust safety standards of their novel foods law,” said Maarten Bosch, CEO of Mosa Meat. Mosa Meat sees cultivated fat as …

Approvals

RSSL Establishes “UK’s First” Novel Foods Expert Network in Collaboration With ICL & The Supplant Company

January 27, 2025

Food and life science contract research organisation RSSL has announced that it will establish what is said to be the UK’s first Novel Foods Expert Network for Regulatory Challenges (NFX UK). To establish the network, RSSL has secured funding from the UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK. NFX UK will be developed in partnership with Imperial College London and The Supplant Company, with three primary objectives: Act as a central hub for learning resources — The network will collate and develop central resources, providing industry with access to regulatory science tools. This will give companies a clearer understanding of regulatory processes, data requirements, risk, and safety assessments for novel food ingredients. Promote connections for novel foods innovators — NFX UK will enable collaborations between organisations …

Image courtesy Dr Hannah Lester

Approvals

Regulating Novel Food & Cultivated Meat: Insights from Expert Hannah Lester

December 13, 2024

As cultivated meat edges closer to widespread acceptance, the regulatory landscape remains a formidable hurdle. Atova Consulting’s Hannah Lester, a seasoned expert in novel food regulation, offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing this burgeoning industry. Speaking with Alex Crisp on the Future of Foods Interviews podcast, Lester outlined the intricacies of regulatory processes across the globe, shared her insights on working with agencies like EFSA and the FDA, and discussed how political shifts—particularly in the United States—could reshape the future of food technology. The evolving regulatory landscape: Europe’s challenges and opportunities For companies like those Lester represents, Europe presents a double-edged sword: rigorous scientific evaluation paired with political complexity. While the European Commission has clarified that cultivated meat falls under novel …

Finnish biotech company Enifer announces that it has applied for regulatory approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to sell its flagship ingredient, PEKILO, in the EU market.

Enifer Breaks New Ground as First Nordic Firm to Seek Novel Food Approval for Mycoprotein

October 31, 2024

Finnish biotech company Enifer announces that it has applied for regulatory approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to sell its flagship ingredient, PEKILO, in the EU. The company claims to be the first Nordic company to apply for a mycoprotein under novel foods. This regulatory step marks a significant milestone in the company’s commercialization efforts, which recently secured funding to build a €33 million production facility, scheduled for production by the end of 2025. In addition to the EU approval, which could take several years, Enifer plans to pursue GRAS status in the US and novel food approval in Singapore. “We’re incredibly proud to continue the work that visionary scientists began in the 1980s and to take this vital step towards bringing PEKILO® to …

Approvals

Novel Food Applications in Europe: What do the Updated EFSA Guidelines Mean for Safety Assessments?

October 23, 2024

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has updated the guidelines for applications for novel foods in the EU. The updates include both scientific and administrative guidance that will apply to all new novel food applications from February 2025. The pre-announced changes to the framework are intended to ensure that the safety assessment of novel foods keeps pace with current developments in food research and legal requirements. Not only will the latest scientific findings be taken into account, but the experience gained from the previous evaluation of applications will also be used to create clarity and improve the quality of applications. The aim is to establish a more efficient procedure that continues to prioritise consumer safety. The following Q&A with Ermolaos Ververis, scientific officer in EFSA’s …

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is inviting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working on novel food products to receive advice on the requirements for applications to obtain authorization to market their innovations in the EU market.

EFSA’s Call for Pre-Submission Advice for SMEs on Novel Food Applications Ends Soon

October 23, 2024September 18, 2024

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is inviting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working on novel food products to receive advice on the requirements for applications to obtain authorization to market their innovations in the EU market. As stated by EFSA, the initiative aims to support SMEs with no or limited experience by providing general pre-submission advice (GPSA) at two stages of their novel food development and application process: At the very early stage of developing the novel food, even before starting the studies that will be included in the application. At the latest stages of the application’s preparation, when most of the information that will be included in the application is already available to the SME. Selected SMEs will receive valuable advice from EFSA, from …

Cultivated Steak Tartare ©Mosa Meat

Hungarian Council Presidency Tells EU That Novel Foods Are a Threat to European Food Traditions

July 11, 2024

The Hungarian Council Presidency has invited EU agriculture ministers to discuss the impact of novel foods such as cultivated meat and plant-based foods on European food traditions. According to Euractiv, the presidency sent a note to EU delegations saying that meat and dairy consumption is an important part of the “European way of life”, implying that plant-based or cultivated alternatives could pose a threat to European culture. The note also claimed that many Europeans are not enthusiastic about novel foods, despite increases in plant-based food consumption. The subject will be discussed by ministers over lunch at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting next week. It comes amid a controversial start to Hungary’s turn at holding the EU council presidency, which rotates every six months. With …

single-cell organism alternative novel food protein meal powder pattern

Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part 5: EFSA to Revamp Novel Food Approval Process by 2025 – What It Means for Food Innovators

June 11, 2024

Mathilde Do Chi is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this fifth installment of her special series, Mathilde explains how Novel Food, defined by EU Regulation 2015/2283 as any food not significantly consumed before May 15, 1997, requires pre-market approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which provides guidance but not detailed study design advice, with upcoming procedural updates expected by 2025. …

Estonia's government innovation lab, Accelerate Estonia has announced Estonia's first public novel food tasting and one of the first public tastings of novel foods across Europe.

Estonia to Hold First-Ever Public Novel Food Tasting Featuring Innovations by ÄIO & Gelatex

May 22, 2024

Estonia’s governmental innovation lab, Accelerate Estonia, in collaboration with the novel food startups ÄIO and Gelatex, has announced Estonia’s first public novel food tasting and one of the first public tastings of novel foods across Europe. The event will feature dishes prepared by chef Johannes Hõimoja using novel food ingredients from ÄIO and Gelatex. It will take place on the 23rd of May during the region’s startup and tech event, Latitude59. According to the announcement, participants will be informed about the product details, including the production process, ingredients, and allergens, and will be required to sign a consent form regarding the tasting. Fats and nanofibers for food ÄIO uses natural and precision fermentation to “brew” fats and oils using other industries’ side streams, such as sawdust. Its products can replace palm …

The SFA recently issued a new draft, the Food Safety and Security Bill (FSSB) on novel food and pre-market approval.

Singapore Proposes Revision of Novel Food Approvals with New “Defined Food” Category

September 20, 2024May 9, 2024

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) recently issued a new draft, the Food Safety and Security Bill (FSSB), proposing a new category, “Defined Food,” and new requirements for pre-market approval of these foods or ingredients. Under the FSSB, novel foods would be considered a sub-category of “Defined Food,” along with genetically modified (GM) foods, and insect-like species, all subject already to pre-market approval but will need to meet additional regulatory requirements before being imported or sold in the country. According to the document, “Defined Food” includes food that consists of or contains novel or genetically modified ingredients that have not received pre-market approval, as well as any insect-like species that are not cataloged as such. The bill, open for public comments until next …

The Protein Brewery's flagship mycelium ingredient has received novel food approval in Singapore.

The Protein Brewery Receives Novel Food Regulatory Approval for Mycelium Protein in Singapore

July 8, 2024March 26, 2024

Dutch fermentation specialist The Protein Brewery announces it has received regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for its flagship mycelium-derived ingredient Fermotein. The approval will enable the company to import, manufacture, and sell Fermotien or products containing it while expanding its operations in the country. Singapore has emerged as a hub for alternative proteins since the SFA set ambitious targets to produce 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. As part of this strategy, the country seeks to incorporate safe, novel foods and ingredients that promise nutritional and sustainable benefits. The Finish biotech Solar Foods has also received approval in Singapore, where it recently debuted a chocolate bar made with an air-based protein called Solein. CEO Sue Garfitt comments: “The Protein Brewery …

Image courtesy of Ivy Farm

The UK’s Food Standards Agency Agrees on Reforms to Streamline Approval Process for Novel Foods

April 8, 2024March 21, 2024

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) is set to modernise its regulatory procedure for cultivated meat and precision fermentation-derived foods to remove unnecessary delays in bringing these products to market. At a recent board meeting, the FSA agreed upon new reforms that will apply to ‘regulated products,’ which include different food and feed products such as flavorings, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and novel foods (foods that have no history of consumption). Streamlining the process One of the fundamental changes proposed by the FSA is the creation of a new public register of regulated products to streamline the process of approving new products for the market. As explained by the Good Food Institute Europe, currently, a Statutory Instrument must be presented before a new product can …

(Left to Right): Dirk Steinhäuser, Vice Head, Dresden Engineering Office of Glatt Group; Alaa Al Ali, Shareholder and Member of the Board of Novel Foods Group LLC; Matthew Robin, Member of the Board of Bioengineering AG © Novel Foods Group

Fermentation

Novel Foods Group Reveals $500M Precision Fermentation Hub to Produce Brazzein

March 7, 2024

Novel Foods Group, an Abu Dhabi-based company producing sweet proteins, has announced a landmark agreement to build the first phase of a $500 million biotech production hub in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) focused on precision fermentation. The deal was signed between Novel Foods Group, which is a subsidiary of the investment conglomerate Gewan Holding, Glatt Group, a German expert in plant engineering, BioEngineering AG, a Swiss company specialized in engineering and design, and CB Consultancy AG, a Swiss company engineering solutions for cutting-edge industries. The new production site will initially develop brazzein, a sweet-tasting protein found in the fruit of the native West African Oubli plant, that is said to be significantly sweeter than sugar. Local people have used and eaten the fruit for many …

Special Guest Series: Mathilde Do Chi, Expert on Food Law, Part Two – The EU & Novel Foods

April 2, 2024March 1, 2024

Mathilde Do Chi, is the CEO of Vegan Food Law, a food law and regulatory consultancy in global alternative protein regulations. She is an international food law and regulatory consultant with expertise in alternative proteins, novel foods, the future of food, and much more. A frequent public speaker at numerous food and foodtech conferences, Mathilde helps VCs, startups and multinationals comprehend complex food regulations, assisting the likes of Blue Horizon, Planted, and Formo with their legal matters. In this second installment of the series, Mathilde addresses the challenges and opportunities surrounding novel food in the EU. As novel foods emerge, offering the potential for sustainable and ethical dietary options, they encounter significant hurdles: resistance rooted in protecting culinary heritage, regulatory frameworks biased towards traditional animal-based products, and the critical need for effective …

ADM's new alt protein report identifies four focus factors for the sector's growth

Image courtesy of ADM

Precision Fermentation CDMO ScaleUp Bio Announces First Customers, Signaling Opportunities for Novel Foods in Asia

November 3, 2023

ScaleUp Bio, Singapore’s pioneer provider of CDMO services for microbial precision fermentation, announces its first customers, including the Australian food tech company Nourish Ingredients. Established in 2022 as a joint venture company of ADM and Nurasa, ScaleUp Bio provides a pathway from bench-to-market pipeline and facilitates entry into Asian markets and other regions. ScaleUp Bio’s agreement collaboration with Nourish Ingredients will support 10,000 L of fermentation capacity and 100 L of thermal processing. The Australian company will establish in Singapore a strategic Asia Pacific hub for scaling production of its animal-free fat (Tastilux) for plant-based meat and other applications. ScaleUp Bio has also signed Letters of Intent with US biotech C16 Biosciences, which produces an alternative to the ubiquitous palm oil to reduce its environmental and carbon footprint; the Malaysian plant-based meat …

Aleph Farms submited an application to Swiss regulators, marking the first-ever submission for cultivated meat in europe

Aleph Farms Becomes First in Europe to Submit Cultivated Meat for Novel Foods Approval in Switzerland

July 26, 2023

Cultivated meat company Aleph Farms announces it has initiated the regulatory approval process to commercialize in Switzerland its premium Angus-style thin cultivated steak — dubbed the Petit Steak and claimed as the world’s first cultivated steak — marking it the first-ever submission for cultivated meat in Europe. Aleph Farms says it has submitted an application for placing on the market novel and novel traditional foodstuffs to the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO). It is worth noting that if Aleph Farms gets novel food approval in Switzerland, the EU requires authorization from the European Commission for market placement in the region. The Israeli company has previously announced plans to launch its brand of cultivated meat Aleph Cuts in Singapore and Israel in limited quantities (tasting experiences) once the …

Aleph Farms Becomes First in Europe to Submit Cultivated Meat for Novel Foods Approval in Switzerland

July 30, 2024July 26, 2023

Cultivated meat company Aleph Farms announces it has initiated the regulatory approval process to commercialize in Switzerland its premium Angus-style thin cultivated steak — dubbed the Petit Steak and claimed as the world’s first cultivated steak — marking the first-ever submission for cultivated meat in Europe. Aleph Farms says it has submitted an application for placing on the market novel and novel traditional foodstuffs to the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO). It is worth noting that if Aleph Farms gets novel food approval in Switzerland, the EU requires authorization from the European Commission for market placement in the region. The Israeli company has previously announced plans to launch its brand of cultivated meat Aleph Cuts in Singapore and Israel in limited quantities (tasting experiences) once the regulatory …