Novel Food

According to Art. 15 para. 1 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles (Lebensmittel- und Gebrauchsgegenständeverordnung, LGV), the term Novel Food refers to novel foodstuffs which were not used for human consumption to any significant extent in Switzerland or in a member state of the EU before 15 May 1997 and:

• which have a new or deliberately modified molecular structure;
• which consist of, are isolated from or are produced with microorganisms, fungi or algae;
• which are composed of, isolated from, or produced with materials of mineral origin;
• consisting of, isolated from, or produced with plants or their parts, except for foods that have a history of use as a safe food in Switzerland and consist of, isolated from, or produced with plants or a variety of plants of the same genus by means of:
  – conventional propagation techniques that were used for food production in Switzerland or in a member state of the EU before 15 May 1997; or
  – non-traditional propagation techniques which were not used for food production in Switzerland or in a Member State of the EU before 15 May 1997, but which do not bring about significant changes in the composition or structure of the food affecting its nutritional value, metabolism or undesirable substance content;
• which are derived from, isolated from, or produced with animals or parts of animals, with the exception of foods derived from animals bred by conventional breeding techniques used before 15 May 1997, provided that such foods have a history of use as a safe food in Switzerland;
• which consist of, are isolated from or have been produced from cell or tissue cultures obtained from animals, plants, microorganisms, fungi or algae;
• in the manufacture of which a process not conventional before 15 May 1997 has been used which causes significant changes in their composition or structure which affect their nutritional value, the way in which they are metabolized or their content of undesirable substances;
• consisting of engineered nanomaterials;
• vitamins, minerals and other substances:
  – to which a manufacturing process in accordance with letter f has been applied; or
  – that contain or consist of engineered nanomaterials;
• which were used exclusively in food supplements before 15 May 1997 and are now intended to be used in foods other than food supplements; or
• which are considered novel in Switzerland or in a Member State of the EU according to letters b and d-f, originate from primary production according to Article 8 LMG and have a history of use as a safe food in a country other than Switzerland or a Member State of the EU (novel traditional foods).

The general regulations on novel foods are found in Art. 15 et seq. of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles (LGV) and the Ordinance of the Federal Department of Home Affairs on Novel Foods.