Novel foods regulation is a ‘huge hurdle’ said Leonie Jahn, co-founder MATR Foods, which is producing plant-based meat alternatives based on fungal fermentation. Europe’s approval process is “highly limiting what can be done and how fast and how viable the business plan is,” she said. “Also, for a university it is difficult to get the funding needed for toxicological studies; on the other hand it is important that we make sure the food we develop is safe.” That’s important, she stressed, given the contamination risks associated with fungi.
Source: EU novel foods regulation ‘hindering innovation’ in meat alternatives sector