As the global population continues to grow, the need for sustainable, affordable, and nutritious foods is more urgent. Novel foods, developed using advanced scientific methods, are designed to be more environmentally friendly and efficient. Nonetheless, there are concerns about their long-term sustainability, scalability, and safety as well as consumer acceptance.

Novel foods refer to products that were not widely consumed in the EU before 15th May 1997. This category includes new foods, innovative processing of existing ingredients, and foods produced using new technologies. Examples are insect-based products, lab-grown meat, and new algae and seaweed products. Key techniques are cellular agriculture, new fermentation technologies, and genetic manipulation including CRISPR. These methods often appear to require fewer natural resources than traditional agriculture, offer high nutritional value, and have the potential to contribute to global food security by being produced in diverse environments. However, it is essential to approach novel foods with some caution.

The long-term implications of new technologies are not fully understood, and consumer acceptance, potential environmental trade-offs, and economic feasibility of large-scale production must be considered. The European Union has established a robust regulatory framework to ensure the safety of novel foods, led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which includes analysis of composition, and potential harmful effects (e.g., toxins, allergens). If a novel food is given a positive opinion by independent experts, it is added to the EU’s authorised list but there are labelling requirements to ensure consumers informed about the nature and origins of these foods.

Although novel foods have the potential to contribute to a more sustainable, affordable, and nutritious food system, it remains important and very challenging to consider the wide range of factors involved in evaluating their overall contribution.