SafeNov Initiative Targets 6-12 Month Reduction in EU Novel Food Approval Timescales
A new consortium led by DTU is collaborating with EFSA to streamline novel food assessments, aiming to cut the current three-year approval process by up to a year. This initiative seeks to accelerate market access for sustainable ingredients while upholding safety standards.
Copenhagen, Denmark — 29 May 2026
The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) National Food Institute is spearheading SafeNov, a European consortium designed to expedite the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) novel food review process. This collaboration, which includes over 40 experts spanning chemistry, microbiology, and biotechnology from five European countries, is projected to reduce the typical three-year EU authorisation timeline by 6 to 12 months. The focus remains on maintaining stringent food safety standards for emerging categories such as new proteins, algae, and insects.
SafeNov, a four-year framework agreement with EFSA, emerged as the highest-rated proposal in a recent EFSA evaluation. Its primary objective is to enhance scientific risk assessment capabilities and facilitate the timely market entry of novel foods across the EU. Historically, the EU's novel food approval system has been criticised for its extended lead times compared to markets like Singapore and Australia, impacting investor confidence and increasing R&D expenditures for European companies, as noted by Morten Poulsen, Senior Researcher at DTU National Food Institute and SafeNov coordinator.
A key bottleneck in the current process is the requirement for extensive documentation across multiple scientific disciplines. Discrepancies or omissions in submitted data frequently lead to EFSA requesting supplementary information, further prolonging assessment periods. SafeNov aims to address these regulatory bottlenecks by standardising and strengthening the scientific assessment methodology. This includes thorough documentation of ingredient composition, production methods, consumption profiles, allergenicity, and verifiable health effects before market authorisation.
What this means for United Kingdom
UK supplement brand owners and manufacturers should monitor SafeNov's progress as improved EU approval times could directly influence the availability and cost-effectiveness of novel ingredients. While the UK operates its own novel food regulations via the FSA, a streamlined EU process could catalyse innovation and reduce lead times for ingredients developed for the broader European market. This may open opportunities for parallel UK applications or benefit from reduced data dossier costs if EU authorisation processes are more efficient. UK product development teams should anticipate a wider and faster evolving portfolio of novel ingredients for potential future formulation, especially those from continental European suppliers. Procurement leads must track emerging approved ingredients to capitalise on new supply options and potential cost efficiencies from 2027 onwards.
The initiative also highlights a pro-active step by European regulatory bodies to adapt to the demands of a rapidly evolving food technology sector, often seen as crucial for developing a more sustainable food system. Recent advancements include EFSA's positive opinion on The Protein Brewery's Fermotein and Givaudan's microalgae-derived blue colour, indicating a pipeline of novel ingredients nearing commercialisation.
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