New algae species authorized in foods or in food supplements in the EU

The use of algae biomass in foods is a growing market in Europe. On February 2024,a list of more than 20 new algae species has been added to the Novel Food catalogue. When there is the evidence of a traditional use of algae in any EU Member State before 15 May 1997, their use as foods and food supplements is not considered as novel and is not subject to a long and costly pre-market approval procedure according to the Novel Food Regulation. A list of around 50 algae species considered as not novel is now available in the EU Novel Food catalogue.

What are algae?

Following the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN 454) definition, the term algae refers to microalgae, macroalgae (or seaweeds), cyanobacteria and labyrinthulomycetes protists.

What is the key consideration before placing algae as foods or food supplements on the European market?

One key consideration is the regulatory “novel food” status of algae to be used as foods or food supplements. According to novel food regulation EU 2015/2283, foods classified as novel are subjects to the pre-market authorization requirements before being placed on the European market. On the contrary, foods that have been consumed to a significant degree in at least one Member State of the European Union before 15 May 1997 are non-novel (traditional) and can be placed in the EU market without a novel food pre-market authorisation.

All foods both novel or not novel that are placed on the European Union market are subject to the European Union food safety requirements.

What is the EU Novel Food status catalogue?

It is a non-binding database that reflects the views of Member States on the novel food status of foods and that have been discussed and completed over the years. A food item listed in the Novel Food Catalogue may have one of the following statuses: novel food, not novel in food, not novel in food supplements, authorized novel food,  or subject to a novel food status consultation request. When an algae is listed in the Novel Food status catalogue as being not novel in foods or not novel in Food Supplements, it can be placed on the market for the corresponding application (either as food or in Food Supplements).

How was the list constituted?

Information on algae groups used as food and novel food in Europe were gathered from the following sources:

• Novel food catalogue;
• Union list of authorised novel food;
• Official national sources of information from France, Italy and Belgium;
• Draft list of algae items from Germany, Austria and Switzerland (D-A-CH);
• Portuguese association of producers’ (PROALGA) list.

They were collected in a Technical report published by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service in 2021.

What are the algae species not novel?

Lists of algae authorized in food or in food supplement are presented in the table below.

List of algae species in the EU Novel Food status catalogue (February 2024):

Orchidali can help you to assess the novelty aspect of your ingredient.