Advances in Food Safety Regulatory Toxicology

The landscape of food safety is shifting rapidly under the influence of new technologies, changing dietary habits, and emerging chemical risks. Traditional hazard assessment methods, which rely heavily on animal testing, are increasingly being challenged by demands for more predictive, human-relevant, and ethical approaches. Regulatory toxicology must adapt to evaluate novel food sources such as insects and cultured meat, new agricultural inputs such as biopesticides, and cross-sector cases such as pharmaceuticals falling under Novel Food legislation, all while assessing complex mixtures and botanical ingredients and maintaining robust consumer protection.This Research Topic aims to explore the direct application of modern toxicological methods to food safety regulatory decision-making. We seek to bring together researchers, regulators, and food industry experts to discuss how new approach methodologies (NAMs) can be integrated into current risk assessment frameworks. By highlighting the latest scientific advances, this collection will help define the future of science-based regulations for food products.We welcome submissions of Original Research, Review, Perspective, and Policy and Practice Reviews addressing, but not limited to, the following sub-themes:• Implementation of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs): The use of in vitro, in silico, and high-throughput screening tools in food-safety evaluations.• Emerging Challenges in Food Risk Assessment: Toxicological and regulatory questions raised by novel and rapidly developing food sources and inputs, including edible insects, cultured (cell-based) meat, biopesticides, and pharmaceuticals assessed under Novel Food legislation.• Safety Assessment of Novel Foods: Regulatory and toxicological challenges associated with alternative proteins, cultivated meats, and nanotechnology in food packaging.• Risk Assessment of Chemical Mixtures: Practical approaches to assessing cumulative exposure to pesticide residues, heavy metals, and food-packaging migrants.• Botanicals and Bioactives: Methods to evaluate the safety of plant-based dietary supplements and functional food ingredients.• Next-generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) Frameworks: Case studies and regulatory perspectives on moving from hazard characterization to exposure-driven risk assessments.• Harmonization of Global Food Regulations: Structural challenges in aligning safety standards and toxicological requirements across different jurisdictions. Topic editors: Jan Alexander, George Kass Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84156/advances-in-food-safety-regulatory-toxicology