I just realised we haven’t discussed Novel Food authorisations on here yet. Where @Martin and I are in the UK, the FSA (Food Standards Agency) are responsible for regulating food safety. I came across this article today which discussed how the UK is becoming a more favourable regulatory environment for cultivated meat and novel foods:
While the cultivated meat sandbox doesn’t apply to microbial protein, the FSA did promise back in March to streamline the regulatory process for Novel Foods in the UK.
The 8 October gov.uk press release on the new Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) also mentions the FSA sandbox - significant as we’ve had a change of government since the FSA first announced it. It also mentions:
Engineering biology – this is the use of synthetic biology and biotechnology to create new products and services derived from organic sources. These technologies can … make food production more efficient and sustainable such as through pest resistant crops and cultivated meat. The new RIO will help regulators to bring those products to market safely and more quickly - realising the environmental and health benefits they can bring to our lives.
By speeding up approvals, providing regulatory certainty and reducing unnecessary delays, we’re curbing the burden of red tape so businesses and our public services can innovate and grow
The UK’s world-class strength in engineering biology and AI is a unique opportunity to drive economic growth and deliver innovative products that improve all our lives, from healthier food with a smaller carbon footprint to precision cancer vaccines with reduced side-effects.
So yes, I’m increasingly hopeful that we’ll be able to make progress with authorisation of an openly licensed HOB in the UK, although I imagine it’s still going to be much quicker in places like Singapore.
I’m rather sad finding silver linings to Brexit, but I’m not convinced that the EU’s legislation on novel food or AI is really going to help its people. I don’t think the US will slow down on AI, given their fear of China, but novel foods can come across as anti-cowboy.