Recently, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) applied a “Novel Food” classification to products sold by Bristol Fungarium, reigniting debate across the mushroom, wellness, and natural health communities.

While the decision surprised many people, it also raised an important and often misunderstood question:

How can mushrooms used for thousands of years suddenly be considered “novel”?

Which Mushrooms Are Affected?

The classification centres on two well-known functional mushrooms:

• Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
• Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)

Under current UK and EU rules, these mushrooms cannot be legally marketed as food supplements unless they receive formal Novel Food authorisation.

What Does “Novel Food” Actually Mean?

Under both EU Novel Foods Regulation and the UK’s retained framework, a Novel Food is defined as a food that was not widely consumed by humans in the UK or EU before 15 May 1997.

If a product does not have documented evidence of significant consumption prior to that date, regulators consider it “novel” — regardless of its history elsewhere in the world.

This classification does not automatically mean a food is unsafe. Instead, it means that additional safety data must be submitted and approved before it can be sold legally.

A Global History That’s Being Overlooked

The controversy arises because both Turkey Tail and Cordyceps have a long and well-documented history of use outside Europe.

• In Traditional Chinese Medicine, both mushrooms have been used for centuries.
• In Japan, Turkey Tail-derived compounds have been used alongside conventional cancer treatments.
• Many individuals worldwide continue to use these mushrooms as part of traditional health practices.

However, because this usage was not formally recorded within the UK or EU before 1997, it does not currently satisfy Novel Food requirements.

The Practical Impact in the UK

As things stand:

• These mushrooms cannot be legally sold as food supplements without authorisation
• Securing approval requires extensive (and expensive) safety studies
• Smaller producers and independent businesses are often unable to fund this process

This has led to frustration within the functional mushroom and plant medicine community, with concerns that traditional remedies are being sidelined by regulatory frameworks designed for modern food systems.

Why This Matters Beyond Mushrooms

For many people, this issue extends beyond Turkey Tail and Cordyceps.

There is growing concern that other traditional plant-based ingredients could face similar restrictions in the future. Critics argue that the current system struggles to fairly account for long-standing global traditions, particularly when those traditions fall outside Western regulatory history.

Staying Informed and Engaged

If you want to explore this topic further, including broader discussions around food regulation, traditional remedies, and consumer choice, the following resources offer useful perspectives:

• Mushies.co.uk
• People’s Health Alliance

Understanding how food regulation works—and where its limitations lie—is an important step in shaping informed, balanced conversations about the future of natural health in the UK.