The Safety Assessment of Novel Foods and New Nutrient Sources: vol. II

Novel Foods (NF) are foods derived from unconventional sources such as microorganisms, fungi, plants, insects, or animals, produced through innovative processes or newly synthesized compounds, and not previously consumed to a significant degree within the EU or other regulated markets before their assessment. They offer real opportunities for innovation in the food industry and for addressing sustainability needs, but their novelty means safety cannot be assumed from prior consumption history. Each NF requires a case-by-case safety assessment, encompassing its origin, production process, compositional profile, nutritional attributes, prior exposure, and intended use, compared where possible against traditional counterparts.Following the success of volume I of this Research Topic, which brought together recent advances in the toxicological and nutritional evaluation of novel foods, this second volume continues to build a dedicated evidence base for safety assessors, regulators, and industry. Interest in NF and new nutrient sources continues to grow, alongside evolving regulatory frameworks and analytical methods, creating a continued need to consolidate emerging science on how to evaluate these foods safely and rigorously before market introduction.Safety assessments of NF differ from those of traditional food chemicals: they combine toxicological and nutritional evaluation, since nutritional imbalance can itself pose a risk and must be understood before toxicological findings can be meaningfully interpreted. Relevant methods include absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) studies, together with in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches to genotoxicity, sub-chronic and chronic toxicity, and reproductive and developmental toxicity.This Research Topic welcomes contributions on NF derived from plants, microorganisms, fungi, algae, insects, and animals, and on the production processes, compositional characteristics, and safety questions specific to these categories. We particularly encourage submissions addressing methodological advances, case studies of recently assessed NF, and emerging regulatory or scientific challenges not yet covered in volume I.We welcome manuscripts addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Chemical composition: characterizing the food’s chemical makeup, potential contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, pesticides, process-related contaminants), and by-products of production.- Toxicological studies: in vivo, in vitro, and in silico assessment of immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and reproductive and developmental toxicity.- Allergenicity assessment: evaluating the potential for allergic reactions, including in sensitive populations.- Digestibility and bioavailability: how a novel food is digested and how its nutrients or potentially harmful compounds are absorbed.- Toxicokinetic assessment: how the body processes NF in terms of ADME, including dose- and time-dependent effects.- Regulatory and methodological perspectives: new or refined approaches to risk assessment, read-across, and evidence integration for novel foods and new nutrient sources. Topic editors: Maria Glymenaki, Luisa Pozzo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85035/the-safety-assessment-of-novel-foods-and-new-nutrient-sources-vol-ii