08-11-2022
The Czech Ministry of Agriculture, after severalmonths of proceedings with all EU member states, has decided that additionalselected species of the microalgae Chlorella can be consumed without lengthyregistration. This decision is valid for the entire territory of the EuropeanUnion. The Ministry based its decision on the results of many years of researchdone by the Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences –Algatech Centre in Třeboň, Czech Republic.
All new foods and food raw materials are subject torelatively strict regulations in the European Union and have to go through along approval procedure. This applies, for example, to insect proteins, plantextracts or microscopic algae that appear in food supplements or, for example,in the form of oils.
However, if it can be shown that the food wasconsumed in Europe before 1997, it is recognised without lengthy approval. Thiswas also the case for chlorella, some of which was eaten in Czechoslovakia 40years ago. With the Institute of Microbiology of the CAS dedicated to both thescience and practical use of chlorella, it was now possible to determine whichspecific species of chlorella it was.
"The Institute of Microbiology has historicallycultivated various species of chlorella that were not on the list of 'old'foods until now. But because it has all of these algae in its collection, itcould prove that they were used and consumed before 1997. He therefore askedfor these species to be recognised as 'old' food. This means that it can beconsumed without going through the approval procedure and all kinds oftests," says Richard Lhotsky from the Algatech Centre.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic,which is responsible for food safety, was thus able to decide, after aprocedure with the Member States, to extend the approved chlorella species toinclude new species valid in the European Union.
"This recognition is particularly important foralgae producers in EU countries who can now use more species without having tohave them approved as a 'novel food' in a long and costly process,"explains Richard Lhotský.
Tiny green ball
"I will now describe the algae in such a waythat everyone will be able to recognise it," wrote Dutch botanist andmicrobiologist Martinus Beijerinck in 1890 when he identified the microscopicalga Chlorella. Since then, this alga has been a model organism forphotosynthesis research and, since the 1950s, it has been cultivated for use inthe food industry.
Czechoslovakia became the fifth country (after theUSA, Israel, Germany and Japan) where Chlorella was cultivated and used forconsumption. The algae meatballs at a hotel in town of Tábor were famous. Atthat time, the Institute of Microbiology of the Czechoslovak Academy ofSciences in Třeboň was also involved in the development of medicinalpreparations and Třeboň´s Chlorella flewinto space with czechoslovak astronaut Vladimír Remek in 1978.
More than a hundred species
Most people know chlorella from dietary supplements,tablets or capsules. Although people usually have no idea what specific speciesof microalgae is behind the green powder, it is very important for producers.The chlorella family includes about 100 species and is constantly beingrenamed, making it difficult for chlorella companies to know which species areallowed and which are not. There are still a few technologically important speciesthat had the misfortune of not having their name among those consumed before1997.
Most chlorella is now grown in Asia in opencultivation systems, while in Europe, due to climatic conditions, cultivationin closed fermenters is becoming more widespread, where new non-green strainsof chlorella may also be able to establish themselves, for example forgluten-free products as a source of protein or antioxidants.
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Approval of 'new' and 'old' foods in the EU
All novel foods, or foods that were not consumed inthe EU before 1997, are considered to be 'novel foods' or 'Novel Foods'. Thereis an official catalogue of these foods (Union List of Novel Foods). Therefore,if someone wants to introduce a novel food (e.g. new algae tablets or driedcrickets) to the European market, they must apply to the relevant nationalauthority and provide the necessary documents.
If the food was consumed on EU territory before1997, it is necessary to prove this and ask the EU to decide that the food isnot a Novel Food. Again, the application is made to the national authority. Theauthority will initiate the procedure and consultation with the EC and allnational food safety authorities; it also has its own expert team to evaluatethe applicant's arguments. It then notifies the Member States and the EC thatit intends to issue a decision, and all have 10 days to comment. The decisionof the National authority is then valid in all EU countries.
