The European Food Safety Authority, based in Parma (Italy), is the leading European authority for – among other things – novel food. As a public institution with excellent scientific standards, EFSA regularly publishes safety-related risk assessments of novel foods, their additives and processing aids.
Anyone who wants to place novel foods on the European market, or establish new technologies for food production processes in Europe, has to go through an authorisation procedure with EFSA.
The details are laid down in Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods. The German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) offers a helpful overview with clear explanations and examples (in German).
What exactly does EFSA classify as a novel food or as a new technological process for producing novel foods?
EFSA sets a good example of transparency:
- All novel foods authorised in the EU are listed in a database.
- Scientific risk assessments are published in a dedicated journal, the EFSA Journal.
- EFSA regularly holds scientific colloquia on current topics related to novel food.
The database lists prominent novel foods such as genetically modified maize from Monsanto.
A scientifically demanding example of an EFSA Journal publication is the safety evaluation of the genetically engineered enzyme D-tagatose 3-epimerase, used by SAVANNA Ingredients GmbH in Elsdorf to produce an alternative sweetener (link to the PDF).
On 11 and 12 May 2023, EFSA held a scientific colloquium on cell-based foods and food ingredients: EFSA's Scientific Colloquium 27 "Cell culture-derived foods and food ingredients". We were delighted to register and learn more about one of the most innovative and fastest-growing technologies in the food market.
biosafety4u.berlin GmbH assesses exclusively on the basis of scientific data. It is not our role to judge whether new food production technologies are meaningful. We focus solely on the safety of people and the environment, using a risk-based approach, and evaluate technical feasibility.
At the same time, we support our clients (for example as biosafety officer according to § 29 of the German Genetic Engineering Safety Ordinance, GenTSV) in the risk assessment of their product or novel process and help them communicate with the competent genetic engineering authority – always within the framework of current laws, ordinances and technical rules.
