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Traditional foods are foods and dishes that are passed on through generations or which have been consumed for many generations. Traditional foods and dishes are traditional in nature, and may have a historic precedent in a national dish, regional cuisine, local cuisine or ritual ceremony.
In the European Union (EU), Traditional Foods are legally defined as foods which have been consumed in at least one third country for at least 25 years as a part of the customary diet of a significant number of people. (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283).
Regulatory Check - Does my food qualify for notification as a Traditional Food from a third country?
The regulatory check for Traditional Food status is twofold:
- Has the food be marketed and consumed in the EU already?
- If not, does the food have a history of safe consumption in a third country?
In contrast to Novel Foods, which require extensive toxicological safety testing, the safety of Traditional Foods can be established by providing proof of a history of safe and continued use for at least than 25 years in the customary diet of a significant number of people in at least one third country.
Proof of continued use to a significant degree may come from all sorts of sources, apart from scientific publications also including e.g. anthropological reports, food intake surveys, trade records, advertisements and testimonials.
Procedure
In the EU, the authorization for the marketing of Novel Foods is regulated by the Novel Foods Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. This regulation is intended to ensure that newly introduced foods are safe for human consumption.
A request for marketing authorization takes the form of a notification to market a food as a Traditional Food.
The primary goal of a Traditional Food notification is to compile data from a broad range of often non-scientific sources on the basis of which EFSA, in consultation with the competent authorities of the EU Member States, can establish the safety of the food. If no objections are raised during the consultation, the EC authorized the marketing of the food as a Traditional Food.
The submission of a Traditional Food notification proceeds through the E-Submission Food Chain Platform.
The scientific evaluation of the application is carried out by the European Food Safety Authority. (EFSA)
Marketing authorization is made public through a implementing regulation or commission decision issued by the European Commission.
The Application
A notification for a Traditional Food aims at convincingly establishing whether a Traditional Food is safe for consumption by consumers at the proposed intake level.
The key features of a Traditional Food notification are therefore proof of:
- Safe use for at least 25 years in a third country
- Customary use in the diet
- Use by a significantly large part of the population
EFSA has issued a set of guidance documents to assist the applicant with the assessment of these various safety aspects.
In addition, EFSA has also provided for guidance on the administrative issues pertaining to the preparation and submission of a Traditional Food notification.
It is noted that the notification is only valid for it’s traditional use, e.g. as part of the customary diet. New applications of a Traditional Food, e.g. in case of an oil in food supplements, are not covered by a Traditional Food notification. These newly introduced applications, for which no history of safe use for at least 25 years has been shown, are considered a Novel Food in the context of Regulation 2015/2283.
