ABOUT EVENT

Roundtable on Novel Food Regulations is organized as part of Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW), serving as an international platform for regulators, members of international organizations, academia and members of industry to share best practices and experiences on safety assessment, risk management of novel foods, as well as to identify opportunities to collaborate.

This year’s Roundtable programme will explore key developments in the novel food ecosystem from scientific, regulatory and stakeholder perspectives. Session 1 will examine emerging trends in the novel food landscape and discuss key developments and considerations shaping the field. Session 2 will focus on managing changes to production processes, balancing innovation and efficiency with food safety considerations. Both sessions will comprise presentations followed by a panel discussion. The event will conclude with Session 3, a fireside chat on the role of stakeholder engagement and dialogue in building trust and supporting greater international alignment in novel food regulation.

26 October 2026
2 PM – 5 PM
Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre

YEAR 2026 PROGRAMME

1:30 PM
Registration
2:00 PM
Opening Address
by Dr. TAN Lee Kim
Director-General (Food Administration) of Singapore Food Agency (SFA)
2:10 PM
Session 1: Emerging Developments in Novel Food Ecosystem

Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein @ NUS as an Innovation Partner in the Novel Food Ecosystem: R&D and Emerging Signals
Plenary Speaker 1: Prof. Eric CHAN Chun Yong, Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein @ National University of Singapore (NUS)

Status and Progress on the Regulation of Novel Foods in China
Plenary Speaker 2: Dr. XIAO Xiao, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA)

Panel Discussion and Q&A
Panellists (More to be updated! Stay tuned!): Prof. Eric CHAN Chun Yong, Dr. XIAO Xiao, Dr. Dean POWELL
Moderated by Dr. HO Rui Yuan, Nicholas
Branch Head (Microbiology & Molecular Biology) of Food Science Rapid Response Department, National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency
3:05 PM
Tea Break & Networking
3:30 PM
Session 2: Navigating Changes from Different Perspectives (Speed v.s. Safety)

The Paradox of Pace: Speeding Safely in Novel Food Regulation
Plenary Speaker 3: Dr. Vincent SEWALT, Sewalt Bioconsulting LLP

Enabling Innovation without Compromising Safety: the EU Approach to Precision Fermentation Products
Plenary Speaker 4: Dr. Andrea GERMINI, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Panel Discussion and Q&A
Panellists (More to be updated! Stay tuned!): Dr. Vincent SEWALT, Dr. Andrea GERMINI, Dr. CHANG Moon-Ik
Moderated by Singapore Food Agency
4:20 PM
Session 3: Novel Food Regulations: Building Trust Through Conversation and Alignment

Fireside Chat and Q&A
Panellists (More to be updated! Stay tuned!): Dr. Masami TAKEUCHI, Dr. Nick FLETCHER, Mr. Peter Yu
Moderated by Mr. LOW Teng Yong
Director of Risk Assessment and Communications Department, National Centre for Food Science, Singapore Food Agency
4:55 PM
Closing Remarks
by Dr. TAN Lee Kim
Director-General (Food Administration) of Singapore Food Agency (SFA)
5:00 PM
Post-Event Networking Session
(More to be updated! Stay tuned!)

Prof. Eric Chan Chun Yong

Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein @ National University of Singapore

Dr. Xiao Xiao

China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA)

Dr. Andrea Germini

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Dr. Masami Takeuchi

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Dr. Vincent Sewalt

Sewalt Bioconsulting LLP

Dr. Chang Moon-Ik

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), Republic of Korea