Novel Food Alert: Green Tea Extracts Under Regulatory Spotlight

The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods has released its latest record of views, with significant implications for Australian food brands using green tea extracts.

This February 2025 update classifies green tea extracts (Camellia sinensis) as non-traditional novel foods, creating immediate challenges for brands using these ingredients.

While traditional green tea infusions remain safe and acceptable, the Committee has highlighted specific concerns about catechin-enriched green tea extracts. Their key finding: these extracts lack an established tradition of use in Australia and New Zealand, with potential safety concerns linked to varying catechin exposure levels and reported cases of liver toxicity.

For food brands, this classification has serious implications. The Food Standards Code is clear – unless explicitly permitted, novel foods cannot be used in Australian food products. This regulatory framework exists to protect consumer safety, but it can create significant and challenges for brands caught in classification changes.

Unfortunately this new classification has immediate effect, meaning that if your food product contains Green Tea Extract, any sales from this point on may be a breach of the Food Standards Code.

At Healthcare Product Specialists, we understand the impact these updates have on your business. Our Head of Quality & Regulatory Affairs for Foods, Emlyn Simmie, brings deep expertise in navigating these complex regulatory waters. As a food technologist with extensive experience across government, FMCG, and manufacturing sectors, Emlyn specialises in turning regulatory challenges into practical solutions.

We’ve seen this scenario before. When a number of medicinal mushrooms were listed in the ACNF records of views as novel foods, several Australian brands faced potential product withdrawals and some experienced direct regulatory challenges from their local health authority. Our team quickly stepped in with many of these brands, helping them reformulate their products and return to market with minimal disruption to their retail presence. This rapid response prevented extended out-of-stock periods and protected valuable shelf space.

If your products contain green tea extracts, proactive compliance is crucial and now is the time to act. Our team offers:

• A thorough assessment of your raw materials and formulations to determine the impact of this regulatory update on your specific products – giving you clarity and peace of mind about your compliance status.
• Strategic reformulation solutions that preserve your product’s core benefits while ensuring full regulatory compliance, drawing on our extensive experience with novel food transitions.
• Navigate the transition efficiently with minimal market and protecting your shelf space.

Don’t wait until compliance becomes critical. Contact us to discuss your green tea extract formulations and ensure your products meet current regulatory requirements.