“Consumers can be assured that foods containing additives and GRAS substances used as food ingredients are safe,” said Dr Haley Stevens, executive director of the International Food Additives Council. “The current US food additive approval process, including the ‘Generally Recognized As Safe’ programme, functions to ensure the safety of the food ingredients we eat.”
‘GRAS’ is an acronym for the phrase ‘generally recognised as safe’.
To be considered GRAS, a substance must be shown to be safe for its intended use based on a review of publicly available scientific and toxicological data by qualified, independent scientific experts.
A general recognition of safety through GRAS requires the same quantity and quality of scientific and toxicological evidence as is required by the FDA’s Food Additive Petition Process. If there is no scientific data showing the safety of a substance, that substance cannot be considered GRAS.
According to Dr Stevens, “by definition, the GRAS system relies on scientific experts to review published research on a substance and validate the safety of the substance for its intended use in food. Claims that the GRAS process creates a ‘loophole’ or offers financial incentives to approve a substance are unfounded.”
A GRAS panel is often composed of three-to-four independent scientific experts who rely on their area of expertise by training and their detailed analysis of available evidence to make a GRAS determination.
Dr Stevens added: “Although these scientists are compensated for the time they spend thoroughly reviewing scientific research, their determinations are completely independent of any compensation. Because FDA expects supporting documentation demonstrating safety to be available upon request, the process fosters innovation and efficiency without sacrificing safety.”
Source: International Food Additives Council
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