Food Additive / Novel Food Approval

If you want to sell a novel food or a new food additive in Germany, you first need EU-level approval. This is not a German permit. The authorization process runs through the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and applies uniformly across all EU member states.

You submit your application to the European Commission, which forwards it to EFSA for a safety assessment. The process typically takes 18 months or longer and requires extensive scientific data on safety, composition, and intended use. Once authorized, the product can be marketed throughout the EU. In Germany, the Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL) handles national coordination.