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What is the novelty of 鈥榥ovel foods,鈥 and what are they?听听Why are so many venture capital and public sector investments flowing into novel foods? What are the innovations in food production that go under the term Controlled Environmental Agriculture?听听Are there听adequate forms of regulation and policies for enhancing their democratic control by citizens?听听Are they really to be considered as the solution to the sustainability of the food system?

These were the main themes discussed at the social science Conference hosted by the听Master in Food Studies听of 91直播 of Rome (AUR) on 10 March 2023, with the scientific patronage of听听and the participation of researchers from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America.听

Novel foods were understood as being the so-called 鈥榓lternative proteins,鈥櫶齮hat is, alternatives to animal proteins, which could be plant-based, tissue-engineered based, like cultured meat, insects & insect-based, or microorganisms-based alternatives like fungi, yeast, and algae. The term novel was also applied to new ways of producing food through indoor soilless farming.听听听

A publication will also follow, in collaboration with the project 鈥淚nnovation, Digitalization, and Sustainability for the diffused economy in Central Italy 鈥 VITALITY鈥 (funded by the European Union 鈥 Next Generation EU. Project Code: ECS00000041; Project CUP: C43C22000380007)

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