Despite the European Union’s commitment to sustainable food innovation, a new analysis reveals that the authorization process for novel foods is severely hindered by lengthy delays, averaging 2.5 years and sometimes extending to six years for an EFSA opinion. While 87% of applications are ultimately approved, the prolonged regulatory timeline, exacerbated by administrative inefficiencies like mandatory study notifications and numerous data requests, drains startup resources and prevents sustainable ingredients from reaching the market. These delays put EU-based food innovation at a significant disadvantage compared to regions with faster regulatory bodies, such as the US FDA and Singapore Food Agency. To address these issues without compromising safety standards, the article suggests reforms including leveraging Article 11 discretion, creating fast-track channels for low-risk ingredients, providing better support for initial applications, and imposing structured timelines for data requests.
Source: EU novel food delays. Bureaucracy is choking food innovation