We recently got to ask Kai-Friedrich Niermann of KFN+ Law Office some questions about EU Novel Food authorizations. His answers are a must-read for cannabis food businesses interested in the EU market.
1. What is an EU Novel Food authorization?
Novel foods are regulated in the European Union by the so-called Novel Food Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283). In principle, all foods that were not consumed to any significant degree in the European Union before 1997 are considered novel foods.
A novel food catalog is maintained in which the status of a food can be reviewed. With this catalog, the EU Commission summarizes the information it receives from member states on the status of a food. In January 2019, the catalog was amended to classify extracts from industrial hemp containing cannabinoids as a novel food.
2. What are the main challenges for a hemp/cannabis/CBD businesses seeking a Novel Food authorization?
The purpose of the Novel Food Regulation is to ensure a high level of protection in food safety. An application for approval as a novel food therefore requires extensive toxicological studies to confirm the safety of the product. In the case of industrial
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