Novel food: a new agri-food frontier. New foods and new consumers.

The Novel food market in Italy is worth 4.8 billion euros, with estimates that also indicate its potential future growth. The market for food supplements in Italy is the first in Europe with 3.8 billion euros. The specialized nutrition segment records 700 million and baby food is worth around 300 million euro. The role of information in consumer acceptance of novel foods is fundamental. The more the consumer is informed about the potential, methods of production, nutritional levels and appearance of novel foods, the less he fears their development. Fundamental, then, is the knowledge of the environmental impact of these foods.