Novel foods and novel food ingredients
The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have adopted a Regulation concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients. The Regulation applies to foods and food ingredients which have not hitherto been used for human consumption to a significant degree within the Community. The following categories of foods and food ingredients in particular fall within its scope: - Those containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms as well as those produced from, but not containing, such organisms; - Those having a new or intentionally modified primary molecular structure; - Those consisting of or isolated from micro-organisms, fungi or algae; - Those obtained from plants or animals by practices other than traditional propagating or breeding; - Those having undergone a production process not currently used, where that process gives rise to significant changes in the composition or structure of the foods or food ingredients which affect their nutritional value, metabolism or level of undesirable substances. The Regulation includes requirements for the labelling of novel foods and food ingredients. In particular, it makes provision for the final consumer to be informed of: - Any characteristic or food property which renders a novel food or food ingredient no longer equivalent to an existing food or food ingredient. In this case the labelling must mention the characteristics or properties modified (composition, nutritional value or effects, intended use of the food) accompanied by an indication of the method by which that characteristic or property was obtained; - The presence in the product of material which is not present in an existing equivalent foodstuff, and which may have implications for the health of certain sections of the population (e.g. allergens); - The presence in the product of materials not present in the existing equivalent foodstuff, and which may give rise to ethical concerns (this refers to specific groups of people with well-defined dietary habits). In addition, the consumer will always be informed where a genetically modified living organism is involved. Thus, labelling will be informative for the consumer, practical for operators and easy for the public inspection authorities to monitor. Other Community legislative requirements concerning the labelling of foodstuffs obviously remain applicable. In addition, the Regulation states that novel foods or food ingredients must not constitute a danger for or mislead the consumer, nor must they differ from the foods or food ingredients which they are intended to replace to such an extent that their normal consumption would be nutritionally disadvantageous for the consumer. Novel foods falling within the scope of the Regulation can only be placed on the market following an evaluation process established in the Regulation. The evaluation is supposed to cover the recent appearance in the food sector of a number of new raw materials, new processes and new technologies the purpose of which is to improve the nutritional and dietetic aspects of foodstuffs, to render their treatment or distribution more technically and economically effective, to reduce the risk of food contamination or to limit the use of pesticides in agriculture. The Regulation does not apply to food additives, flavourings or extraction solvents already covered by specific directives. The Commission will be assisted in implementing the new rules by the Standing Committee for Foodstuffs.