During a recent FSA board meeting, significant reforms regarding regulated products were announced. This news follows plans unveiled in March and comes after a consultation held earlier this year, which received approval from new government ministers.
The upcoming changes will establish a public register for ‘regulated products,’ encompassing animal feed additives, food flavoring, and various alternative proteins. This initiative is set to streamline the regulatory process significantly.
Currently, before any new product can enter the market, a Statutory Instrument must be implemented. This lengthy process often adds an extra six months to an already extended approval timeframe of two and a half years.
With these reforms, the necessity for re-authorizing products already available in the market will be eliminated, thereby alleviating some of the burdens on the FSA. At present, 22% of regulated product applications are for re-authorization.
The Good Food Institute (GFI) has expressed support for these developments, emphasizing that while beneficial for various food sectors, these changes should serve as a starting point. Linus Pardoe, UK policy manager at GFI Europe, stated, “Alternative proteins can play a key role in boosting food security and growing the UK’s green economy. But to deliver these benefits while ensuring consumers can have confidence in new foods, the government must urgently bring forward more ambitious proposals such as collaborating on risk assessments with international partners and establishing a regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat.”
The FSA is committed to conducting thorough and evidence-based assessments of new products regarding safety and nutritional value prior to market entry, with ministers retaining ultimate authority over approvals.
While the UK adheres to a regulatory framework similar to the EU’s, concerns have emerged about the growing scope of the agency’s post-Brexit responsibilities and its capacity to keep up with demand.
Consequently, GFI Europe is urging the government to implement broader reforms. These include producing accessible guidance for companies focusing on alternative proteins, sharing risk assessment information with trusted international regulators, and designing a new framework for pre-market tastings.
Additionally, GFI advocates for ministerial approval of the FSA’s proposal to create a regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat in the upcoming budget, believing this will enhance the agency’s understanding of the food safety considerations associated with cultivated meat.
