Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods introduced for the first time the category of foods consisting of, isolated from or produced from cell or tissue cultures of animals, plants, micro-organisms, fungi or algae (Art. 3 para. 2 a) vi)).

In July 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published an opinion on the assessment of cell culture biomass from apple fruit as a novel food. Despite the differences identified in the composition of the novel food and the original apple product, EFSA assessed the proposed use of cell culture biomass from apple fruit in food supplements as safe.

Further details can be found in the EFSA assessment (EFSA Journal 2023;21(7):8065).