Conference on innovation in food

Innovation & technology is one of the main drivers that will determine the future of the global food chain. The Directorate General for health and food safety of the European Commission organises a conference on innovation in food to recognise the challenges for the EU legislation on food additives, enzymes, flavourings, novel foods and food contact materials.

The conference will be a finalisation of the dialogues with citizens that were initiated during the opening conference on ‘safety and nutrition in 2050’ in relation to innovation & technology.

Interaction with citizens is in particular needed for innovations in food as these may be potentially controversial. Food additives, enzymes, flavourings, novel foods, and food contact materials are part of these innovations. This may include prolonging shelf life, facilitating production processes, making better use of primary materials, creating new foodstuff, new innovative intelligent and active packaging etc.

But are consumers ready to accept such innovation? Often a lack of understanding leads to fear and suspicion. The conference will be the opportunity to exchange views between researchers, regulators, the food industry and the citizens. It will allow the Commission to explain the main rules on each of these topics, to present conclusions of the workshop on innovation and to reply to questions asked. This will help to better understand the concerns, to communicate with the citizens and to consider approaches on how the legislation can better guarantee that future innovations will meet consumer needs.