Before considering types of novel foods and how European member states will consider if they are suitable for human consumption, it is best to begin by defining what a ‘novel food‘ is.
The European definition includes factors like:
Foods with a new molecular structure;
Foods having undergone an alteration to their molecular structure;
Foods containing or produced by microbes;
New foods made from plants or containing plant material;
Foods containing cellular tissues;
Foods produced from animals;
Foods containing engineered nanomaterials;
Foods containing refined oil;
Vitamins or supplements, either on their own or added to food.
The above list includes edible insects (a recent area of debate discussed on Digital Journal). For this, plus other reasons, risks to people and safety issues are important criteria. As an example of what constitutes a new food stuff, three novel foods were authorized by European authorities during 2015. These were:
Heat treated milk products fermented with the bacterium Bacteroides xylanisolvens (a type of probiotic);
Refined oils produced from the seeds of Bugglosoides arvensis;
Flavanoids extracted from liquorice.
The European Parliament has approved a new process for novel foods to be approved. This was considered necessary because the old legislation was 20 years old. In addition, the pace and development of novel foods has accelerated in recent years with many new ways of creating foodstuffs appearing. This has come about due to advancements in manufacturing; the wider use of genetically modified organisms; and with growth of the food supplement trade.
The new rules contain more exacting safety standards with an emphasis on the health of the people who might consume the new food substance.
