RSSL launches UK's first Novel Foods Expert Network in collaboration with Imperial College and The Supplant Company

RSSL, a leading food and life sciences contract research organization, has announced the establishment of the UK’s first Novel Foods Expert Network for Regulatory Challenges (NFX UK). Funded by Innovate UK, the initiative was developed in collaboration with Imperial College London and The Supplant Company to drive innovation and collaboration across the novel foods sector.

NFX UK aims to support the development and commercialization of new food technologies and products while assisting the UK government in its mission to create more transparent and efficient regulatory processes for novel foods. By fostering a streamlined regulatory environment, the initiative seeks to position the UK as a global leader in novel food research and development, enabling groundbreaking solutions to enter the market more rapidly.

The network will serve as a central hub for learning resources, offering tools to help the industry navigate regulatory processes, data requirements, and safety assessments for novel food ingredients. Additionally, it will promote connections among innovators, analytical and technology organizations, scale-up facilities, consultants, and research institutions, fostering collaboration across the sector. Through dialogue with regulatory authorities, NFX UK aims to offer insights into industry challenges and emerging technologies, helping to shape agile and proportionate regulatory responses to innovation.

Jacinta George, Managing Director & Vice President at RSSL, highlighted the transformative potential of the initiative, stating, “We are proud to lead the creation of NFX UK. At RSSL, we recognize the transformative potential of novel food innovation and are excited to support the vital cross-sector collaborations necessary to accelerate the delivery of more cost-effective, sustainable, and healthy food options.”

Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial Food Hub at Imperial College London, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, saying, “We are thrilled to start this project to support companies in the alternative protein and novel food space navigate regulation. This partnership fully aligns with our goals of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial Food Hub at Imperial College London, and we are very thankful to Innovate UK for their support.”

Dr Tom Simmons, CEO of The Supplant Company, also emphasized the importance of the network, adding, “We at The Supplant Company are thrilled to be part of this project and believe that the network will provide invaluable resources to help companies navigate the requirements for novel foods applications.”