Non-selective aqueous decoctions of monk fruit: Determination of the status of a novel food, pursuant to Article 4(2) of assimilated Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

UK Regulated Product (RP) number: 1311

Name and description of the food concerned

Non-selective aqueous decoctions of monk fruit (made from the fresh and dried fruit of the plant Siraitia grosvenorii). ^{(footnote 1)}

Definition of novel food

Article 3(2)(a) of assimilated Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 defines ‘novel food’ as any food that was not used for human consumption to a significant degree within the European Union (EU) or the United Kingdom (UK) before 15 May 1997, irrespective of the dates of accession of Member States, and which falls into one of the categories at (i) to (x) of that provision.

Status

The FSA determines that non-selective aqueous decoctions of monk fruit (made from the fresh and dried fruit of the plant Siraitia grosvenorii) are not a novel food.

Reasons statement

The FSA was provided with evidence of a history of consumption of non-selective aqueous decoctions of monk fruit (made from the fresh and dried fruit of the plant Siraitia grosvenorii) within the UK and the EU.

The evidence, considered in its totality, was deemed sufficient to demonstrate a significant history of consumption.

Based on the evidence provided, the FSA has concluded that non-selective aqueous decoctions of monk fruit (made from the fresh and dried fruit of the plant Siraitia grosvenorii) are therefore not novel.

This decision will be published on the FSA website and is applicable in England and Wales. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) will issue their own determination applicable in Scotland.

Windsor Framework

In October 2023, the Windsor Framework was implemented providing a unique set of arrangements to support the flow of agrifood retail food products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. These goods can meet the same standards applied in the rest of the United Kingdom (UK) in public health, marketing (including labelling) and organic foods when moving through the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS).

Under the NIRMS, eligible retail goods produced within GB will be able to be placed on the market in Northern Ireland. The FSA remains committed to ensuring that consumers across the UK can be confident that food is safe and is what it says it is, even where rules applicable to the same type of food may be slightly different.