novel foods

EFSA logo

© EFSA

Approvals

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

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 …

more

single-cell organism alternative novel food protein meal powder pattern

© Niko-stock.adobe.com
Politics & Law

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

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. …

more

NovaMeat

© NovaMeat
Politics & Law

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

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 …

more

Three different dishes of cultivated meat: beef skewers, roast beef, and chicken breast

© Vital Meat
Politics & Law

12 EU Agriculture Ministers Form Coalition Against Cultivated Meat

A coalition of a dozen EU agriculture ministers will push for a revision of the regulatory approval framework for the authorization of cultivated meat at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council today. As reported by Euronews, Austria, France, and Italy proposed the initiative to The EU council, receiving support from the Czech, Cypriot, Greek, Hungarian, Luxembourg, Lithuanian, Maltese, Romanian, and Slovak delegations. The coalition sent a statement to the EU executive urging them to evaluate and initiate a public debate regarding the impact of cultivated meat, as they see the technology as a potential threat to the economy, public health, and farmers. The group is also looking to establish label guidelines that prohibit the names of animal products in “fake” meat and milk products. Despite Europe being …

more

Organisations and brands:

FAO conducted a foresight exercise to explore and evaluate future safety issues of plant-based food products, precision fermentation, and 3D food printing.

© dmitrimaruta-stock.adobe.com
Health

Are Plant-Based, Precision Fermentation, and 3D Printed Products Less Safe to Eat than Conventional Foods?

A recent meeting for food safety assessment on New Food Sources and Production Systems (NFPS) organized by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted a foresight exercise to explore and evaluate future safety issues of plant-based, precision fermentation, and 3D printed food products. After the exercise and the evaluation of the current food safety standards, the meeting concluded that, in general, the food safety hazards of these NFPS are similar to those of conventional foods. However, they emphasize that new production and processing technologies can introduce unique conditions within a specific NFPS, requiring careful monitoring and consideration from a food safety standpoint. They also added that it was important always to consider the intended uses of final products when conducting safety assessments on …

more