The FSSAI’s take on novel food
The FSSAI defined Novel food for the ease of communication for regulatory purposes. According to the FSSAI, novel food can be defined as food that may:-
- Not yet have been consumed in India,
- Consist of a component or its derivative which is not yet consumed in India,
- Have been processed and manufactured by an innovative process that can change the composition, size or structure of the food or its components, further altering its nutritional profile, properties, or the concentration of undesirable substances. The process may not have been used in India before.
Novel food falls under the category of non-specified food and should be assessed as safe for human consumption by a scientific body. The regulatory process for novel foods in India involves a safety assessment by the Scientific Panel of the FSSAI, which evaluates the safety of the novel food based on the available scientific evidence. If the safety of the novel food is established, it can be approved for consumption in India [1].