Policy brief on novel foods and food security released
Margust Dela Cerna | August 19, 2024
ISAAA Inc., in partnership with the Department of Agriculture’s Biotech Program, released a policy brief titled The Potential of Novel Foods in Addressing Food Security in the Philippines. Authored by experts from UPLB-BIOTECH, it explores how novel foods can help strengthen food security.
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), novel foods are those not widely consumed before May 1997. Examples include chia seeds and lab-grown proteins. Novel foods offer sustainable solutions as the world faces challenges like climate change and population growth.
The policy brief highlights molecular farming, where plants are engineered to produce valuable food components, and explores new food sources such as algae and insects, which are gaining interest globally. UPLB-BIOTECH has developed several novel food products, including microbial enzymes, alternative food colorants, and probiotic beverages.
However, the adoption of novel foods faces challenges like public skepticism and the need for significant research investment. The policy brief recommends strengthening collaboration between academic, industrial, and government sectors, fostering shared understanding among regulators, and encouraging an innovation ecosystem through funding and streamlined technology transfer.
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), novel foods are those not widely consumed before May 1997. Examples include chia seeds and lab-grown proteins. Novel foods offer sustainable solutions as the world faces challenges like climate change and population growth.
The policy brief highlights molecular farming, where plants are engineered to produce valuable food components, and explores new food sources such as algae and insects, which are gaining interest globally. UPLB-BIOTECH has developed several novel food products, including microbial enzymes, alternative food colorants, and probiotic beverages.
However, the adoption of novel foods faces challenges like public skepticism and the need for significant research investment. The policy brief recommends strengthening collaboration between academic, industrial, and government sectors, fostering shared understanding among regulators, and encouraging an innovation ecosystem through funding and streamlined technology transfer.
