Novel Foods: The ‘History of Safe Use’ Approach

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The new Regulation (EU) No 2015/2283 on novel foods emphasises the importance of new authorisation procedures for the inclusion and update of ‘novel foods’ in the so-called Union list of novel foods authorised to be placed on the market within the European Union. New requisites for the authorisation of ‘novel foods’ in the European Union are required in this ambit. Substantially, ‘novel foods’ can be placed on the market of the European Union on condition that these products comply with these requisites, including the absence of safety risks to human health and possible misunderstandings concerning food consumers about the nature of these foods. Because of the presence on the market of ‘traditional foods’ from non-European countries and the related classification as novel food categories, a peculiar risk assessment of these products should be needed by means of the ‘history of safe use’ strategy. This chapter discusses this approach to the problem of novel foods and related basic factors, including consumption period analysis, preparation advices and processes, intake levels, nutritional composition, and results of animal studies.