Let's start! Novel Foods can be described as "new ingredients" meant to improve our health and wellbeing in ways that are actually not guaranteed by the traditional foods already present in our markets.
Why is it so important? Novel Food is considered important for the future of Earth and Mankind because, with climate changes, pollution peaks and the growing numbers of people on our planet, we need an environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional foods.
What is it? Novel Food is defined as food that had not been consumed to a significant degree by humans in the EU before 15 May 1997.
Where is the novelty? They are ingredients from other cultures and continents; or they result from a process that has not been previously used for food; or they are existing foods which have undergone genetic modification and have new traits.
Novel Food regulation. Novel Food in the European Union must be: 1. Safe for consumers, and not pose a risk to public health. 2. Properly labelled and not misleading. 3. Nutritionally equivalent for the consumer if replacing another food.