Abstract
Currently, research and development of “new foods” using food tech are promoted in each country. Various foods have been put on the market, which is expected to accelerate due to the growing interest in Sustainable Development Goals. In this study, we analyzed web-based public information for seven countries/regions in order to compare regulatory systems for new foods, with a focus on the following: a regulatory framework, definition, application scope, process to market, and five foods (genetically modified foods (GM), genome-edited foods, cultured meats, insects, supplements).
New foods with no history of safe food use require pre-launch approval in all countries studied. Each has a different approval process and publishes a positive list. The U.S. has a GRAS system, while the other five countries and the EU have a framework called "Novel Food(s)". The definitions and scope generally consider not only the history of safe use as food, but also differences in food production processes. The relationship between the five foods and the Novel Food(s) framework varies across countries. The EU Novel Food is a comprehensive framework consisting of 10 categories, excluding GM and genome-edited foods, including cultured meats, insects, and some food supplements. For insects, the EU has approved three species one after another since 2021. For cultured meats, Singapore promptly approved chicken nuggets in 2020, and it is necessary to pay attention to such rapid trends. Regarding supplements, we plan to conduct a comparative study in respect of distinction from medicines in the future.
