CBD's place in food has long been debated. In a board paper updated on September 15, 2026, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommended authorizing three applications for high-purity CBD. The paper discusses recommendations to the relevant ministers in England and Wales; it is not the final authorization decision. FSA recommendations on the first CBD authorizations
What novel food regulation examines
“Novel food” does not necessarily mean a newly invented product. The European Union's regulation also covers foods not consumed to a significant extent before May 15, 1997. Product safety and accurate labeling are central to premarket assessment. The European Commission's explanation of novel foods
Cannabis's long history of use and the assessment of a particular CBD food ingredient are different issues. Familiarity with a plant does not mean every compound extracted from it will be assessed identically for every product and intake amount.
The proposed authorization covers specific products and conditions
Applications RP 7, RP 350 and RP 427 in the FSA paper concern CBD ingredients with at least 98% purity. The recommendations address adult uses containing no more than 10 mg of CBD daily. Food supplement use is proposed for all three applications; beverage and confectionery categories are also proposed for RP 350.
Labels are expected to warn people under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding people, those planning pregnancy, people taking medicines and immunosuppressed individuals. Strict product conditions also apply to THC and other controlled cannabinoids. Food authorization does not permit claims that CBD treats diseases. FSA conditions on use, labeling and health claims
Distinctions such as full spectrum, broad spectrum and CBD isolate matter here. An assessment of a specific ingredient and dossier cannot be extended to all CBD products with other compositions and manufacturing characteristics.
KenevirHaber's assessment
In our view, a positive aspect of this process is that it brings product composition and conditions of use into clearer discussion. Knowing only the percentage of CBD in a bottle may be insufficient for consumers. Intake amount, other ingredients and warnings should also be understandable.
Manufacturers also need clarity about the data expected and the uses being assessed. Testing and applications require time and money, while uncertainty makes planning those investments harder. How small producers can meet these requirements also deserves discussion. We believe regulation's success should be judged by its practicality as well as consumer protection.
The key point when reporting this development is scope. Preserving the fact that September's recommendations concern particular applications and conditions of use prevents readers from interpreting the news as a blanket assurance for their own products. Products in Türkiye must be assessed separately under domestic legislation.
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