Traditional Food Notification

Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 (Articles 14–20) provides a separate, lighter procedure for traditional foods from third countries. A traditional food is defined as a novel food that has a history of safe food use in a third country — meaning at least 25 years of continuous use in the customary diet of a significant number of people in at least one third country.

The notification procedure is simpler than a full novel food application. The applicant submits a notification to the European Commission demonstrating the history of safe use. The Commission forwards it to EFSA and Member States. If no safety concerns are raised within four months, the traditional food may be placed on the EU market.

However, if EFSA or a Member State raises reasoned safety objections within the review period, the traditional food cannot be placed on the market through the notification route. The applicant must then submit a full novel food application following the standard procedure under the regulation.

The traditional food dossier requires the same ten assessment sections as a standard application, plus a mandatory history of use section documenting the food's consumption history in the third country.