The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released two guidance documents on food contact substance notifications, pertaining to toxicology recommendations and administrative processes. The food contact substance notification process is "the primary means by which FDA regulates food additives that are food contact substances (FCSs)." The guidance documents define a food contact substance as "any substance that is intended for use as a component of materials used in manufacturing, packing, packaging, transporting, or holding food if the use is not intended to have any technical effect in the food," per the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Category Archives Food and Drug Administration
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the results of a study on the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in processed foods, including baby foods. Out of 167 samples, three products had detectable levels of PFAS, the agency stated, and the amounts were not elevated to a level of concern. "Based on the best available current science, the FDA has no scientific evidence that the levels of PFAS found in the samples tested indicate a need to avoid any particular food in the food supply." “The FDA’s testing for certain PFAS in such a wide range of foods available, including those commonly eaten by babies and young children, is among the first study of its kind,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock in a press release. “Although our studies to date, including these newly released results, do not suggest that there is any need to avoid particular…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has "launched a challenge to spur the development of affordable, tech-enabled traceability tools to help protect people and animals from contaminated foods by enabling the rapid identification of their sources and helping remove them from the marketplace as quickly as possible." The agency has asked "food technology solution providers, public health advocates, entrepreneurs and innovators across the human and animal food supply chain to present food traceability solutions that utilize economic models that are affordable, with costs that are proportional to the benefits received and can scale to encourage widespread adoption." FDA will accept submissions until July 30, 2021, and will select up to 12 winners for the challenge. Winners "will have the opportunity to present their work publicly in a webinar planned for September and their videos will be posted for public viewing."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a compliance policy guide on aflatoxins in human food. "Aflatoxins may occur in food as a result of mold growth in susceptible raw agricultural commodities," the guide explains. "The growth of molds that produce aflatoxins is influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and extent of rainfall during the pre-harvesting, harvesting, or post-harvesting periods. Foods most susceptible to molds that produce aflatoxins include: peanuts, corn, some tree nuts including Brazil nuts and pistachios, and some small grains such as rice. Because aflatoxins are known carcinogens to humans, the presence of aflatoxins in foods should be reduced to the lowest levels attainable using modern agricultural and processing techniques." FDA issued guides for aflatoxins in brazil nuts, peanuts and peanut products, and pistachio nuts.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released "Closer to Zero," its action plan for reducing infants' exposure to heavy metals following a Congressional report on toxic elements in baby foods. "Although the FDA’s testing shows that children are not at an immediate health risk from exposure to toxic elements at the levels found in foods, we are starting the plan’s work immediately, with both short- and long-term goals for achieving continued improvements in reducing levels of toxic elements in these foods over time," the agency states. Under the plan, FDA will (i) "evaluate the scientific basis for action levels," (ii) "propose action levels," (iii) "consult with stakeholders on proposed action levels," and then (iv) "finalize action levels." The agency will then "establish a timeframe for assessing industry’s progress toward meeting the action levels and recommence the cycle to determine if the scientific data support efforts to further adjust…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced an investigation into Real Water alkaline water, which is allegedly the link between several cases of acute non-viral hepatitis. The investigation comes amid the filing of several lawsuits alleging harm to consumers of the water, including children. The agency announced that Real Water was not cooperating with the investigation because it failed to provide records or access to facilities. “The FDA is committed to protecting the health of Americans and is especially concerned when there is a food safety issue impacting our youngest, and some of the most vulnerable in the population – infants and young children," a press release stated. "Upon learning about reports of acute non-viral hepatitis in Nevada, impacting five young children, the FDA quickly activated a team to further investigate. We are working closely with the CDC, state and local partners to complete our investigation and monitor…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has responded to the House report on levels of heavy metals in baby food with the promise of additional action. The FDA statement notes, "First, today we issued a letter to industry reminding manufacturers of these types of foods of their existing responsibilities related to these efforts. Secondly, the agency is announcing that we’ll soon be putting into action a plan aimed at reducing toxic elements in foods for babies and young children to levels as low as is reasonably achievable." The industry letter asserts that the agency will take action to remove foods from the market "when the levels of toxic elements or other chemicals in foods do pose a health risk," citing as an example a consent decree the agency obtained in January 2021 to stop Valley Processing Inc. from selling adulterated juice. The agency's plan includes finalizing an action level…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued a joint statement stating that "there is no credible evidence of food or food packaging associated with or as a likely source of viral transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing COVID-19." The statement was issued one week after the World Health Organization reportedly stated that the virus could be transmitted on frozen food packaging. "The USDA and the FDA are sharing this update based upon the best available information from scientific bodies across the globe, including a continued international consensus that the risk is exceedingly low for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans via food and food packaging. For example, a recent opinion from the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF), stated: 'Despite the billions of meals and food packages handled since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, to…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a constituent update responding to the Senate's report on elevated levels of heavy metals in baby foods. "While the report released on February 4, 2021 by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy raises important questions on what more can be done to reduce toxic elements in baby foods, the FDA has been actively working on this issue using a risk-based approach to prioritize and target the agency’s efforts," the update states. "Firms and individuals who manufacture or sell food have a legal responsibility under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ensure the safety of their products. The FDA reviews information and takes action on a case-by-case basis. If the FDA finds that a product violates the law, the agency takes steps to stop the product from being imported, takes…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the approval of GalSafe pigs, which have a "first-of-its-kind intentional genomic alteration (IGA)," for use in food. "This is the first IGA in an animal that the FDA has approved for both human food consumption and as a source for potential therapeutic uses," the announcement states. "The IGA in GalSafe pigs is intended to eliminate alpha-gal sugar on the surface of the pigs’ cells. People with Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) may have mild to severe allergic reactions to alpha-gal sugar found in red meat (e.g., beef, pork, and lamb)." FDA reportedly found that "food from Galsafe pigs is safe for the general population to eat" and that the potential impact of the pigs is no greater than from conventional pigs.
