Introduction

In recent years, medicinal mushrooms have grown hugely popular around the world. Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) and Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) are two species that have attracted attention for their potential health benefits – from supporting immune function to improving energy and endurance.

But if you live in the UK you can’t legally buy turkey tail or cordyceps militaris supplements! Unlike in the US or parts of Asia, these products are restricted under UK law.

So why is that? Let’s break it down.

The Novel Foods Regulation

The key reason is the Novel Foods Regulation. This legislation applies across the EU, and since Brexit, the UK has retained its own version under the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

A “novel food” is defined as anything that wasn’t widely consumed by humans in the UK or EU before May 1997. If a food doesn’t have evidence of a safe history of use, it can’t legally be sold until it goes through a lengthy approval process.

This process involves submitting safety data, toxicology studies, and paying for regulatory approval and can cost thousands of pounds and take years to process.

Why is Turkey Tail restricted?

  • Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is even prescribed alongside cancer treatment in Japan.
  • However, in the UK and EU, there’s no evidence of widespread human consumption before 1997.
  • Because of this, the FSA classifies turkey tail as a novel food, which means it can’t be sold as a supplement, powder, or extract in the UK.

Why is Cordyceps Militaris restricted?

  • Cordyceps militaris is a cultivated form of the famous cordyceps mushrooms found in the wild.
  • It has been studied for its potential benefits in energy, endurance, and recovery.
  • But like turkey tail, there’s no record of its use as a food in Europe before 1997.
  • That means cordyceps militaris is also a novel food and therefore not authorised for sale.

Are They Unsafe?

No - it’s important to clarify that being a “novel food” doesn’t mean these mushrooms are unsafe. In fact, they’ve been consumed in Asia for centuries, and there’s promising scientific research into their potential benefits.

The restriction is purely regulatory: without documented history of use in Europe before 1997, they fall into the “not approved” category until someone funds and completes the authorisation process.

Where Turkey Tail and Cordyceps Militaris stand

  • Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
    Despite its long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine and as an approved cancer adjunct in Japan, turkey tail does not appear on the EU/UK’s list of permitted foods. There’s no official record of it being commonly consumed as food before 1997 in Europe. That means it’s automatically classed as a novel food.
  • Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)
    Similarly, cordyceps militaris, a cultivated mushroom related to the wild cordyceps sinensis has only recently become popular. While studies highlight potential benefits for energy and stamina, there’s no proof of its use as a traditional food in Europe before 1997. As a result, it too is classified as a novel food.

What this means in practice

Because both mushrooms are listed as novel foods:

  • They cannot legally be sold in the UK as food, supplements, powders, or capsules.
  • Businesses selling them risk enforcement action from Trading Standards or the FSA.
  • Only once a manufacturer submits a safety dossier, pays for toxicology studies, and gets approval can they be marketed – a process that costs hundreds of thousands of pounds and takes years.
  • We know that a lot of companies sell supplements and extracts with these mushrooms but due to the regulatory guidance we do not.

What you can do instead

If you’re in the UK and looking to explore the world of mushrooms, the good news is that many functional mushrooms are allowed and easily available, such as:

  • Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) - often linked to cognitive health.
  • Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) - traditionally used for relaxation and immune support.
  • Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) – rich in antioxidants.

These species all have a long history of consumption and are fully legal to buy and use as supplements. These are the three dual extracts we have decided to manufacture and sell.

At Marvellous Mushrooms, we specialise in high-quality grow kits that let you cultivate some of these amazing species at home.

Final thoughts

Turkey Tail and Cordyceps militaris remain restricted in the UK due to the Novel Foods Regulation, not because they are unsafe, but because they don’t have the necessary pre-1997 consumption history in Europe. Until a company invests in getting them officially authorised, you won’t find them legally on UK shelves.

Fortunately, there are plenty of legal, approved and well-studied mushrooms to enjoy. Whether you’re interested in growing your own Lion’s Mane or trying Reishi for its calming properties, the mushroom world still has a lot to offer.