New review examines the safety of new food sources and production systems
A review on new food sources and production systems by scientists from the Singapore Food Agency and FAO has been published in the journal Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.
New food sources and production systems (NFPS) can play a critical role in the transformation of our agrifood systems by encouraging dietary shifts and diversifying our current ways of producing food. NFPS are attracting significant interest, driven by international trade, changing consumer preferences, potential sustainability benefits, and innovations in climate-resilient food production systems. However, with increasing attention on these novel foods, questions are arising regarding their safety and regulatory oversight.
The recent review outlines known food safety hazards associated with NFPS products, in particular, plant-derived proteins, seaweeds, jellyfish, insects, and microbial proteins as well as foods derived from cell-based food production, precision fermentation, vertical farming, and 3D food printing. It found that, while most food safety hazards linked to new foods have also been identified in traditional foods, some can be unique, arising from new food ingredients, inputs and processes. “This implies that food safety risk assessment needs to keep pace with such developments”, said co-author Vittorio Fattori, Food Safety Officer at FAO’s Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division.
While regulations for NFPS are emerging, many countries and regions are still lacking the legal frameworks for regulating NFPS. In addition, ambiguities surrounding the terminologies used for NFPS products pose a challenge for international regulatory harmonization and commercialization of such products.
The authors outline the need for stakeholders from governments, the food industry and the research community to work collectively in order to address and communicate the safety of NFPS products. Through multi-stakeholder collaborations, the international community can harness the potential of NFPS in contributing to sustainable and climate-resilient food production.
"NFPS is a rapidly evolving sector with FAO actively monitoring this space to help prepare member countries for the arrival of such products on the market" said co-author Keya Mukherjee, Food Safety Consultant at FAO’s Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division. This review is part of the ongoing foresight work by FAO examining the future of food safety. In November 2023, FAO gathered experts at the Food Safety Foresight Technical Meeting on New Food Sources and Production Systems to discuss the food safety hazards and future trends of three new foods – plant-based food products (that mimic animal-derived foods) and products from precision fermentation and 3D food printing. The meeting report will be published this year.
References
Tan, Y. Q., Ong, H. C., Yong, A. M. H., Fattori, V., & Mukherjee, K. 2024. Addressing the safety of new food sources and production systems. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 23(3): e13341. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.13341
Photo credit: © FAO/Alessia Pierdomenico