novel foods regulations

mosa-meat-steak-tartare

Cultivated Steak Tartare ©Mosa Meat
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

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

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 …

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single-cell organism alternative novel food protein meal powder pattern

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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. …

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

© The Protein Brewery
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

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

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 …

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Image courtesy of Ivy Farm
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

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

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 …

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

India to Set Regulatory Framework to Move Forward Cultivated Meat & Seafood

As reported by the Good Food Institute, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is setting a regulatory framework for the approval of cell-based foods, including cultivated meat and seafood. The development of regulations by FSSAI marks a significant step to move forward cultivated meat while joining other countries’ efforts to regulate its safety through a predictable and clear regulatory path to market. In India, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute has launched a cultivated fish project and the Department of Biotechnology and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology supports cultivated meat research.   The cultivated meat and seafood industry in India is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to benefit from the country’s thriving pharmaceutical sector.  Ingredients for cultivated meat …

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a 2kg prototype of cultivated meat by TissenBioFarm .

© TissenBioFarm

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Accepting Submissions for Cultivated Meat Approval

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (KFDA) has announced that it has opened an application process for the approval of cultivated meat after implementing cultivated food regulations and a framework to provide companies with guidelines. The news came after the KFDA revised and published the “Temporary Standards and Standards for Food Products,” stipulating the procedure for approving raw materials “made using technology,” such as cell and microbial cultures.  Cultivated food ingredients became eligible for certification as food ingredients through the revision of the Enforcement Rules of the Food Hygiene Act in May last year. Previously, they were only allowed for R&D purposes. However, under these temporary standards, cultivated food ingredients could be approved for sale for the first time. Sam Lawrence, GFI Vice President of Policy …

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Cultivated chicken on a small grill. Japan's government is making changes and transferring powers to different organizations to shift toward a more flexible approach to the novel food sector-

Cultivated chicken © Diverse Farm
Politics & Law

New Changes in Japan’s Approach to Cultivated Meat Regulation and Safety, PM Kishida to Play Key Role

The Japanese government is making changes and transferring powers to different organizations to shift toward a more flexible approach to the novel food sector, including cultivated meat, announces the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA). As explained by the organization, the responsibilities for novel foods are carried by two separate bodies: the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), which focuses on risk management and food hygiene, and the Food Safety Commission (FSC), which handles risk assessment.  While no specific laws exist to approve or ban the sale of cultivated meat in Japan, the MHLW currently holds authority over cultivated meat, providing legal clarity regarding the sale, manufacturing, and import procedures. However, when issuing official statements to the public regarding the safety of cultivated food, the MHLW …

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Cultivated chicken on a small grill. Japan's government is making changes and transferring powers to different organizations to shift toward a more flexible approach to the novel food sector-

Cultivated chicken © Diverse Farm
Cultivated Meat

New Changes in Japan’s Approach to Cultivated Meat Regulation and Safety, PM Kishida to Play Key Role

The Japanese government is making changes and transferring powers to different organizations to shift toward a more flexible approach to the novel food sector, including cultivated meat, announces the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA). As explained by the organization, the responsibilities for novel foods are carried by two separate bodies: the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), which focuses on risk management and food hygiene, and the Food Safety Commission (FSC), which handles risk assessment.  While no specific laws exist to approve or ban the sale of cultivated meat in Japan, the MHLW currently holds authority over cultivated meat, providing legal clarity regarding the sale, manufacturing, and import procedures. However, when issuing official statements to the public regarding the safety of cultivated food, the MHLW …

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Politics & Law

UK Food Standards Agency Unveils New Guidance on Authorisation Process for Cell-Cultivated Products in Great Britain

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recently released guidance for businesses on cell-cultivated products and the authorisation process to market these products in Great Britain.  The FSA is responsible for food safety and food hygiene in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, this guide is specific to England and Wales.  The FSA’s new guidance combines general food law regulations with novel food and GMO regulations and offers business advice to streamline the authorisation process. It includes definitions, status, application details, and recommendations on product safety, labelling, and tasting trials. The UK government has been looking to streamline the approval for cultivated meat to boost food security and sustainability. Meanwhile, the first cultivated meat product on the market is still pending in the UK. To …

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© Uncommon
Politics & Law

UK Considers Reforming Novel Foods Regulations to Expedite Approval of Alt Proteins

A report by Deloitte has advised the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) to reform novel foods regulations, allowing sustainable proteins to come to market more quickly. The report suggests several changes, such as speeding up the approval process for products that are considered low-risk or have been lawfully sold elsewhere in the world. A conditional authorisation and supervision model, such as that used in the pharmaceutical industry, could be used to allow evidence about safety to develop over time. Deloitte also recommends providing clear frameworks to allow pre-market tastings to take place. The suggestions have been welcomed by GFI Europe, which said the changes would improve the process without requiring an entirely new regulatory system for products such as cultivated meat and fermented proteins. The …

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a banner that says "regulation"

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Products & Launches

The Alternative Proteins Regulatory Tracker: New Tool Provides Up-to-Date Information For Sector

Dentons, which claims to be the largest multinational law firm in the world, announces the Alternative Proteins Regulatory Tracker, a new tool for companies operating in the alt protein space providing an overview of global regulatory regimes for the sector. According to the law firm, since its launch in January 2023, the tracker covers ten jurisdictions, including the EU and its 27 member states, with more jurisdictions to follow. The tracker will help companies with the following:  Staying up-to-date with changes in the regulatory regimes for alternative proteins in different jurisdictions Comparing the regulatory approaches of different governments Staying informed about new developments in regulatory regimes for alternative proteins Dentons explains that food manufacturers often face restrictions concerning the designation and labelling of alternative protein products. “The regulatory pathway for bringing …

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Ivy Farm Sausage

Image courtesy of Ivy Farm

Politics & Law

Update to UK’s Novel Foods Regulations Will Boost Sustainable Protein Innovation

The UK’s novel foods regulations will be reviewed to make them more “transparent and effective”, the country’s government has announced. In a report titled The Benefits of Brexit: How the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU, the government says it will no longer be necessary to follow the EU process for approving novel foods. Instead, the UK will have a system specifically designed to “support innovation in the sustainable protein sector”. According to the report, the government will work with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to update the regulatory framework, creating a system that is “the best in the world for innovators, investors, and consumers”. Inefficiency and expense The news will be music to the ears of British alt-protein companies — particularly those …

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