The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has announced an October 25-28, 2010, public meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, to review proposed recommendations for the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, which governs the use of synthetic and non-synthetic materials in organic production and handling. NOSB will accept written comments and requests for oral presentations until October 12, 2010. The agenda covers petitioned material and sunset review recommendations for a number of substances, as well as proposed guidance on nanotechnology, “Made With” organic claims and changes to the NOSB policy and procedure manual. In particular, the meeting will address the NOSB Materials Committee’s recommendations for prohibiting engineered nanomaterials in organic production, processing and packaging. According to the committee, concerns about nanotechnology include “the ability of the regulatory agency, the National Organic Program (NOP), to fully control two of the major sources of contamination in final organic food…
Category Archives U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies
The U.S. Senate recently confirmed Elisabeth Hagen as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) under secretary for food safety. President Barack Obama (D) used a “recess appointment” in August 2010 to install Hagen as USDA’s top food-safety official after the Senate had not yet confirmed her appointment since her nomination nearly a year earlier. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack was quoted as saying that Hagen’s background as USDA’s chief medical officer and senior executive within its Food Safety and Inspection Service will serve her well because “there is no higher priority at USDA than ensuring that Americans have access to a safe and healthy food supply.” See USDA Press Release, September 16, 2010.
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel has reportedly declined to take action or make any recommendations about the safety of genetically modified (GM) salmon at the conclusion of hearings that drew considerable media and public attention. A Massachusetts based company has been trying to bring its AquAvantage® salmon to the market for more than 10 years. If it succeeds, the fish, which reportedly grow to full size in half the time as conventional salmon, will be the first GM animal sold for human consumption. According to a news source, FDA’s Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee indicated that it lacked sufficient safety data to make a determination and suggested that the government undertake a more rigorous analysis of potential health effects and environmental impact. Agency documents made available before the hearing reportedly indicated that FDA was prepared to conclude that no biologically relevant differences between GM salmon and conventional salmon…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public meeting on September 29-30, 2010, in Washington, D.C., to review issues pertaining to data collection, analysis, response and transparency, and pre-harvest food safety controls. The committee includes individuals from consumer groups; producers and processors; marketers from the meat, poultry and egg-product industries; government officials; and members of academia. Comments on topics discussed at the meeting must be submitted to FSIS by October 18. See Federal Register, September 16, 2010.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning letter to the New York-based manufacturer of “Magic Power Coffee,” a product that purportedly contains the active ingredient used in erectile dysfunction medications. According to the letter, INZ Distributors, Inc., has marketed the coffee as a conventional food despite the presence of hydroxythiohomosildenafil, an analogue of sildenafil that is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor “well known to have an effect on the structure or function of the body.” The company has also included instructions to use its product “approximately 30-45 minutes prior to engaging in sexual intercourse.” On the basis of the synthetic active pharmaceutical ingredient and these labeling claims, FDA has concluded that “Magic Power Coffee” is not primarily consumed “for its taste, aroma or nutritive value.” The agency has thus deemed the product an unapproved new drug and a misbranded drug in violation of the Food, Drug, and…
The Corn Refiners Association has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “to allow manufacturers the option of using ‘corn sugar’ as an alternative name for high fructose corn syrup.” The trade group contends that the public is confused about what the sweetener is and that “‘corn sugar’ succinctly and accurately describes what this natural ingredient is and where it comes from—corn.” According to an association press release, “Contrary to widespread consumer belief, high fructose corn syrup—a safe and affordable natural sweetener found in many popular products on grocery shelves—is not high in fructose when compared with other commonly used nutritive sweeteners, including table sugar, honey and fruit juice concentrates.” Food industry critics immediately responded to news about the petition by claiming those who produce high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are less concerned about “epidemic rates of obesity, diabetes and corn allergies” than they are about “a 20 year low in…
After the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it had begun issuing permits to sugar beet seed producers to plant genetically modified (GM) crops this fall, the Center for Food Safety and a number of other groups filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the action. When Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the agency’s “next steps” as to Roundup Ready® sugar beets, he acknowledged the August 2010 federal court ruling that returned GM sugar beets to regulated status until the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) can complete an environmental impact statement (EIS) about the effects of deregulating the crop. According to APHIS, producers who have applied for the permits will be allowed to plant GM seedlings immediately but must not allow them to flower, and the agency will make decisions about interim regulatory measures by the end of the year on the seed producer’s request to partially deregulate…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) has prepared a handbook that provides guidance and instructions for those who own, manage or certify organic businesses. In addition to federal regulations and recordkeeping requirements, the first-edition handbook covers topics that include: (i) “the allowance of green waste in organic production systems”; (ii) “approval of liquid fertilizers in organic production”; (iii) “certification of organic yeast”; (iv) “processed animal manures in organic crop production”; (v) “reassessed inert ingredients”; and “the calculation of dry matter intake for NOP’s access to pasture requirements.” See USDA Press Release, September 2, 2010. In a related development, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has reportedly issued new NOP enforcement procedures to ensure that “all complaints of alleged violations and civil penalties are consistently handled.” NOP will now work with accredited certifying agents to investigate complaints about alleged violations, in addition to handling enforcement. “The changes we are…
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the presidents of the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and Unilever, Inc. warning them that their green tea products are misbranded because they make nutritional or health-related claims in violation of federal law. Specifically, FDA takes issue with antioxidant claims used to promote Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale® and the cholesterol-lowering claims used to promote Lipton Green Tea 100% Natural Naturally Decaffeinated®. According to FDA, ginger ale, as a carbonated beverage, is a snack food that may not be fortified, and therapeutic claims make green tea a drug requiring the agency’s pre-marketing approval. The letters call for corrective action and a response.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a briefing packet in advance of public meetings to discuss a new animal drug application for genetically engineered (GE) salmon. Produced by AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (ABT), the AquAdvantage salmon contains genes from Chinook and ocean pout that accelerate maturation. Additional details about the September 19-21, 2010, meetings appear in Issue 362 of this Update. According to the FDA briefing packet, “[T]here are no material differences in food from ABT salmon and other Atlantic salmon.” The assessment therefore concludes that “triploid ABT salmon is . . . as safe as food from conventional salmon,” although it recommends further allergenicity studies for diploid salmon because the ones provided were of “low quality.” In addition, an environmental impact statement (EIS) has found that the fish “are not expected to have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment.” As the EIS summary notes,…
