Updates
Novel food rules and our sold-out mushrooms
Some of our tinctures are marked sold out. Here’s why, in plain English.
What is a “novel food”?
UK food law (the retained version of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283) says that any food not eaten to a significant degree in the UK or EU before 15 May 1997 is a novel food. Novel foods need a safety assessment and authorisation from the Food Standards Agency before they can be sold, and that includes food supplements such as tinctures.
Which mushrooms are affected?
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) and Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) are now treated in the UK as unauthorised novel foods. Many UK mushroom companies have withdrawn them for the same reason.
This decision is about their history of consumption in the UK and EU, not about evidence that they are harmful.
What this means for our range
| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| Lion’s Mane (fruit body) | Available |
| Reishi (fruit body) | Available |
| Day & Night Bundle (Lion’s Mane + Reishi) | Available |
| Turkey Tail | Sold out |
| Cordyceps | Sold out |
| 7 Blend (contains Turkey Tail and Cordyceps) | Sold out |
| Mushroom Bundle (contains Turkey Tail and Cordyceps) | Sold out |
Will they come back?
We hope so. If Turkey Tail or Cordyceps are authorised in future, we’ll restock them. If you’d like to know when that happens, follow us on Instagram @avalon_fungi or get in touch through our contact page.
This page is our summary of the rules as we understand them and isn’t legal advice. For the official position, see the Food Standards Agency’s guidance on novel foods.