General regulations on the introduction of new foods into the domestic market will be implemented in the Republic of Moldova. A sanitary regulation in this regard was approved by the government today. According to the Ministry of Health, the initiative aims to protect public health by ensuring that newly introduced foods are safe for consumption, IPN reports.

The National Food Safety Agency will evaluate new foods before they are placed on the market.

According to the regulation, only new foods authorized at the European Union level will be allowed on the domestic market.

Before selling a product, businesses must check whether it is included in the EU’s Novel Food List. If not, the product cannot be sold in the Republic of Moldova.

The Ministry of Health notes that advances in biotechnology and food engineering enable the development of innovative products. These include oils from exotic seeds, ingredients derived from algae and nanomaterials, products with a new or intentionally modified primary molecular structure, as well as products made from mushrooms, fungi, and insects.

According to the ministry, between 15 and 22 applications for novel food authorization are submitted annually in the EU, with about half of them being approved.