Novel food
Throughout history, Europe has embraced new foods and ingredients from all over the world, and sought innovative ways to produce food.
Bananas, tomatoes, oranges, maize, rice and a wide range of spices were all brought to Europe once as new foods.
Recent arrivals include chia seeds, baobab fruit and jackfruit.
EU rules define novel food Foodstuff or food ingredient that was not used for human consumption to a significant degree within the European Union before 15 May 1997 as any food that was not consumed “significantly” in the EU before May 1997, when the EU’s first regulation on novel food came into force.
This category includes not only new foods and ingredients (e.g. insects), but also food from new sources (e.g. krill oil), new substances used in food (e.g. plant sterols), and food produced by new production methods and technologies (e.g. UV-treated milk).
Traditional foods is a subset of novel food and refers to food that has been consumed safely for at least 25 years in countries outside of the European Union.
Over 200 novel foods are approved for sale in the EU, which are listed in the Union list of novel foods.
Milestones
2024
September
EFSA publishes updated guidance documents for novel food, traditional foods from third countries and micronutrient sources after a public consultation.
EFSA publishes updated administrative guidance and support initiatives applicable to all applications submitted as of 1 February 2025
EFSA conducts a comprehensive evaluation of human-identical milk oligosaccharides (HiMOs) as novel foods.
2023
EFSA holds a scientific colloquium on the safety of cell culture-derived food to ensure its preparedness for scientific evaluations in this area.
2022
EFSA's cannabidiol novel food evaluations are put on hold pending extensive new data requirements.
2021
EFSA publishes first assessment of an insect product as a novel food.
2018
February and May
EFSA issues administrative guidance for applicants and publishes its first novel food assessment– shrimp peptide concentrate – following the new procedures.
January
The new novel food regulation takes effect making the European Commission responsible for authorising all novel foods following a safety evaluation by EFSA.
2017
EFSA holds a webinar on the scientific aspects to consider when preparing a novel food application.
2016
EFSA issues new guidance on the requirements for submission of applications for novel food and traditional foods from the third countries.
2015
November
The new novel food regulation is adopted, introducing a centralised assessment and authorisation procedure for novel foods.
October
EFSA addresses growing interest in the potential use of farmed insects farmed insects in food and feed with a risk profile a description of a food safety issue that includes the associated hazard(s), the likelihood of health risks for a given population, and the possible risk mitigation options that are relevant for risk management decisions that identifies their potential biological, chemical, allergenicity The ability to trigger an abnormal immune response that leads to an allergic reaction in a person and environmental hazards.
2004
EFSA publishes its first assessment of a novel food application – the use of enova oil.
EFSA's role
EFSA’s scientists are responsible for assessing the safety of each novel food application.
When a novel food is intended to replace another food on the market, EFSA ensures that its consumption is not nutritionally disadvantageous.
The European Commission and EU Member State authorities decide on whether to approve novel foods for sale on the EU market.
They also decide on the conditions of use and labelling for each novel food, and whether a food should be considered novel.
Novel food
EFSA carries out its safety assessments based on the information and data contained in applications.
Applicants must include data on the compositional, nutritional, toxicological and allergenic properties of the novel food as well as information on the production process, proposed uses and use levels.
Traditional food
EFSA assesses the safe use of traditional food Traditional food is a subset of novel food. The term relates to food traditionally consumed in countries outside the EU. It includes foods made from plants, microorganisms, fungi, algae and animals (e.g. chia seeds, baobab fruit, insects, water chestnuts) from third countries, in parallel with EU Member State authorities, based on information provided by the applicant and available data.
Applicants must demonstrate the safe use of the traditional food in at least one country outside the EU for a period of at least 25 years.
Future trends
The types of novel food applications EFSA assesses are always evolving.
In December 2020 our novel food scientists delivered a series of presentations – available on video below – looking at these trends.
Introduction – an overview of the novel food area and EFSA’s role.
Alternative proteins and their sources – this includes both animal-derived alternative proteins such as insects and cell culture-derived food of animal origin, and non-animal alternatives such as plants and algae.
Novel carbohydrates A family of nutritional substances that includes sugars, starches and fibres as novel food – this comprises novel fibre, human identical milk oligosaccharides (e.g. sucrose, lactose), and novel foods intended to replace sugars.
Novel food as food supplements – this focuses on plant extracts, synthetic cannabidiol and engineered nanomaterials.
FAQ
Yes, any novel food that has been approved for sale in the EU is safe to eat. EFSA’s scientists assess the safety of each novel food before they can be put on the EU market. We carry out thorough safety assessments, which includes aspects such as the production process, nutrition The science of how diet relates to the body's need for sustenance, allergenicity, and toxicology. As for other foods, some novel foods may contain allergens, and labelling is compulsory to inform those at risk.
A food company must apply for an authorisation from the European Commission. EFSA has nine months to complete an assessment of the health risks, but if we need more information from the applicant, we pause the process. Within seven months after EFSA’s assessment is complete, the Commission requests the opinion of EU Member State authorities. The Commission and Member States decide together on whether to approve a novel food for sale, and the products and quantities in which it can be used.
Yes. The EU requires strict labelling of all foods so consumers can make informed food choices. The European Commission and EU Member State authorities can also require specific labelling for novel foods (e.g. insect-derived foods and ingredients). Allergy labelling is also compulsory to inform consumers at risk. EFSA is not involved in decisions on approvals or labelling. Our role as scientists is to ensure that whatever people choose to eat is safe. In addition to our scientific work, there are ethical, social, environmental, and economic considerations which all contribute to EU decisions on novel foods and their labelling. These are discussed and decided by the European Commission together with EU Member State authorities.
Yes, there are currently five cell culture-derived foods on the EU market, produced from plant cells. The most recent of these is an apple cell-derived product for use in food supplements. The others are plant extracts from plant cell cultures. In September 2024, EFSA received its first, and so far only, cell culture-derived food application of animal origin, for a food product made from duck cells to obtain foie gras. No cell culture-derived foods of animal origin have yet been approved for sale in the EU by the European Commission and EU Member State authorities.
No, EFSA is an independent scientific advisory body, whose task is to assess risks to public health along the food chain. Safety is our priority. Similarly, we play no role in the various ethical, social, environmental, and economic considerations which all contribute to EU decisions. The European Commission decides on food policies and rules together with EU Member State authorities.
EU framework
The European Parliament and the Council adopted a new regulation in November 2015, repealing Regulation (EC) No 258/97.
Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods introduced a centralised assessment and authorisation procedure that made the overall process more efficient.
Since 1 January 2018, the European Commission has been responsible for authorising novel foods and, as part of the procedure, asks EFSA to conduct risk assessments to establish their safety.
For the notification of traditional foods from third countries the new regulation simplified the authorisation process by requiring evidence of safe use in at least one country outside the EU for a period of 25 years.
A notification is sent to the European Commission and then forwarded to all Member States and EFSA. Within four months of receipt of a valid notification, a Member States or EFSA may submit safety objections to the placing on the market of the notified traditional food.
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