Randy Spoon, Author at Food Ingredient Facts

Food Label Misconceptions

In the modern food supply, most products – including those that are vegan, organic, and pantry staples, have lists of ingredients on their labels. The purpose of these lists, which are required by law, is to provide consumers with information regarding the ingredients contained in the product. Although all food ingredients must be proven safe, some are hard to pronounce or sound weird which can seem confusing or even frightening to consumers. Especially if a product has a food label with a long list of ingredients that have unfamiliar or scientific names. It’s completely fine to dislike or to avoid any food product due to dietary needs or personal preference, however there’s no need to avoid foods due to a fear of ingredient lists.

Everything is a Chemical

The idea of food additives, which are also referred to as chemicals in food, may sound odd to some – however the truth is that, when it comes to food products, everything is a chemical. Water, air, and food, including food additives, are all made up of chemicals. Some chemicals in food are naturally-occurring while others are manmade. Chemicals are abundant even in simple, healthy, everyday foods like bananas – which contain over 50 chemical compounds. However, the presence or absence of chemicals in a food product does not make the product any more or less “natural”, “artificial”, healthy, or safe; and as a matter of fact, some natural foods are more chemically complicated than foods a consumer might view as manufactured or processed.

Ingredients added to food are regulated by national authorities, which study the science to ensure they are safe for their intended use. When food products have long lists containing numerous scientific ingredients and/or additives, it represents nothing about the health or safety of the food, but rather shows how structurally complex they are.

It is understandable that consumers may be confused or intimidated by long and chemical-sounding ingredient lists on food labels, but a little more info and insight can quickly help remove this confusion. For example, due to FDA regulation that requires ingredient lists to include all sub-ingredients, a commonly known ingredient like “baking powder” must legally be shown as “baking powder (sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminum sulfate, and cornstarch)”. Because of FDA regulations, and the inherent complexity of foods, labels are left packed with what can feel like dozens of scientific ingredient names; and consumers should know that there is no need to fear or avoid these products and ingredients. In fact, the inclusion of some food additives such as emulsifiers and humectants can help keep an ingredient list shorter in a food product.

Check out this 2-minute YouTube video, “Chemicals in Food,” that explains how everything, including the food we eat, is made up of chemicals.

The Benefits of Food Science

Food additives, with their sometimes long scientific names and all, should be embraced by consumers because they play important roles in foods. Additives can help enhance a food’s nutritional value, improve texture and enhance shelf life, make foods more convenient, and help ensure a healthier, more sustainable, and more efficient food supply. Food additives contribute to everything that consumers love about food; taste, texture, appearance, health benefits, convenience, and more – and there is no reason to misunderstand or be afraid by ingredient names.

What are Clean Labels?

“Clean label” is a term made popular by consumers and refers to products that are made with as few ingredients as possible. In many cases, this is to dispel some of the previously mentioned misconceptions and fears about food additives. These are products that often use common, easily identified, and trustworthy ingredients in an effort to make consumers feel, whether justly or not, more comfortable with their foods.

The issue with “clean labels,” and the term, is that it doesn’t really speak to the science or safety of food products. The truth of the matter is that food labels, including those with long lists of scientific names, are clean and safe themselves; and to get rid of these naturally-occurring, supportive ingredients and additives only serves to reduce taste, convenience, shelf-life, and overall food efficiency.

To better understand food labels, ingredient lists, FDA regulations, and more, check out IFAC’s “Understanding Food Labels.”

Food Additives: Supporting Food Affordability

Food additives play a number of important roles in the production, distribution, storage, and availability of food and beverage products. Most food additives serve multiple functions, many of which help create a more efficient and streamlined food supply. For example, food gums are used to help stabilize and thicken food products, which in turn prevents spoilage and extends shelf-life, ultimately reducing food waste. But the benefits don’t stop there. Improved shelf-life also positively impacts the cost and convenience of food – for consumers and for the food industry.

Consumer Affordability & Convenience

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, the average American spends just under 10% of their disposable income on food. For those with lower income, food can represent up to 35% of their total pay. With those numbers in mind, it’s incredibly important that consumers get the most out of what they buy which means that much of the food they purchase needs to remain fresh as long as possible to avoid it from going bad before it is consumed. Foods with a longer shelf-life don’t need to be rushed to the store for immediate purchase and consumption, and many do not need to be refrigerated or frozen to stay fresh. As a result, these foods tend to be less expensive and consumers can spend less to get more and keep their pantry full. Food additives enable families to enjoy safe and nutritious diets while not being financially weighed down by food expenses.

Food additives also provide vitamins, essential nutrients, and more which helps consumers reach sufficient nutritional levels without having to spend extra money. For instance, carrageenan is used to stabilize liquid infant formula, preventing separation of important vitamins and minerals and ensuring consistent nutrient delivery. Monocalcium phosphate is a source of both calcium and phosphorus in baked goods, which helps strengthen bones and cells. Cellulose gum is considered a source of dietary fiber, which has been identified as a nutrient concern because it is underconsumed, so can be added to foods to help consumers improve their fiber intake and fill the “fiber gap”.

Affordability in the Supply Chain

On a national and global scale, additives make food more affordable to produce, and the production and distribution of food more efficient. Because they extend shelf-life, food manufacturers don’t have to take on a heavier burden of moving product as soon as it is produced or in some cases refrigerating product, which lowers production, storage, and transportation costs. Without food additives, the production and distribution of food would need to change to adjust to more limited shelf life. This would result in more costs to produce food, which would trickle down to the prices we pay at the store.

Not only do food additives improve the taste, quality and texture of our food and drinks, they also improve the cost of food by ensuring that products maintain their value for longer periods of time, benefitting producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers.

A More Sustainable, Affordable Food Market

Food additives make food products, and thus the food supply, safer, more sustainable, and more affordable. The qualities of various food additives help make dollars go farther by supporting and maintaining food value.

In addition, additives make the process of buying, selling, and storing food more convenient for all. Without them, families and individuals would be spending more time, and money, making frequent grocery store visits to avoid food spoilage. Aside from the convenience it provides to our wallets and routines, food additives also make sufficient dietary and nutritional intake more convenient in an affordable, reliable, and easy way.

IFAC Statement on “Processing” Research on Ultra-Processed Foods & Chronic Disease

Nutrition is a comparatively new type of science. For example, the first vitamin was isolated and chemically defined in 1926 – less than 100 years ago! As nutrition science continuously evolves and research linking food to health outcomes increases, it’s natural to overreact to sweeping conclusions about not one food or nutrient, but many foods commonly consumed by most people. Recently, the media has been mentioning the phrase ‘ultra-processed foods’ – prompting another buzzword to add to your nutrition and health lingo.

Defining the term

By definition, a processed food is a food item that has had a series of mechanical or chemical operations performed on it, typically to change or preserve it. This can range from grinding meat and forming it into a burger patty to manufacturing tofu from soybeans. The term ‘ultra-processed’ was developed over ten years ago by researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. The researchers defined the term as part of a proposed new classification of foods known as the NOVA classification, which categorizes foods according to the extent and purpose of food processing, rather than in terms of its nutritional composition. This is why, for example, breakfast cereals are included in the ultra-processed food category, even though they may contain whole grains or low-fat ingredients that could be a healthy choice in the diet. According to the NOVA system, ultra-processed foods are “…industrial formulations typically with five or more and usually many ingredients. Such ingredients often include those also used in processed foods, such as sugar, oils, fats, salt, anti-oxidants, stabilizers, and preservatives.” Further, ultra-processed foods are described as “convenient (durable, ready to eat, or heatable), hyper-palatable (extremely tasty), highly profitable (low cost ingredients), and designed to replace all other food groups with the aid of attractive packaging and intensive marketing.” While the term ‘ultra-processed’ may be popping up more in the media these days, this doesn’t indicate a new, extreme form of processing that consumers should avoid. In fact, ultra-processed foods may provide more benefits than you think.

What does nutrition research say?

In the spring of 2019, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) added fuel to the conversation around ultra-processed foods by publishing two observational studies, one of which linked consumption of ultra-processed foods to increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and another linking this food category to all-cause mortality. In the first study, researchers at the University of Paris monitored the diets of approximately 100,000 people twice a year for five years using the abovementioned NOVA classification system. The researchers then looked for associations between intake of ultra-processed food and risk of CVD, and found there was a 12% increase in the risk of CVD for every 10% increase in the amount of ultra-processed food consumed.

In the second study, researchers from the University of Navarra in Spain assessed the diets of almost 20,000 people annually over the course of 15 years (i.e. 1999 to 2014) using the NOVA system. After taking into account other confounding variables such as age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking history, the researchers concluded that there was a 62% greater risk of death for participants eating more than four servings of ultra-processed food a day compared to those eating the least amount of ultra-processed food.

What does this research mean?

While the findings from these studies are strengthened due to the large sample sizes, it’s important to remember that observational study designs do not demonstrate cause and effect. Further, linking ultra-processed foods to CVD is a complicated assumption, especially when multiple factors, including family history and other lifestyle choices, can contribute to disease development. Both unprocessed and processed red meats, for example, are associated with greater risk of developing CVD and type 2 diabetes compared to poultry, fish, or vegetable protein sources. Additionally, the definition of ‘ultra-processed foods’ was not adequately-defined in these studies and is not well-defined by the healthcare community. For example, some define ‘ultra-processed foods’ as “ready to eat, snack foods,” which could include dried fruit that can be a healthy snack.

Putting it All Together

Of course, if we review the definition of ultra-processed foods, it’s not surprising that excess consumption of such foods would likely cause such negative health outcomes. However, processed food intake alone is not a strong enough variable to link to disease development, and the definition and subsequent intake recommendations should be clearer for consumers to understand. It’s absolutely true that certain processed foods should be consumed less often and in smaller portions than others. With that said, it’s important to recognize that not all processed or ultra-processed foods provide the same benefits and nutrients, an aspect not considered by the NOVA classification system.

The greater body of nutrition research continues to emphasize the importance of a varied and balanced diet, of which processed foods are unavoidable and even often rich in nutrients. As there is no correlation between level of processing and the nutritional value of food, incorporating a rich variety of different foods in your diet is recommended. Such eating patterns are outlined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which encourage intake of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, poultry, and heart-healthy oil. Processed foods may include canned fruit, for example, that can be a healthy choice (when not packaged in syrup) and count toward a daily serving of fruit. Additionally, many processed foods are fortified with added fiber, vitamins, and minerals to support a healthy diet. Processed foods even include bread, which is often fortified with folic acid, a key nutrient to prevent birth defects. Fortified and processed foods not only aid in reaching the recommended daily values of key nutrients, but can also be formulated to reduce overall consumption of added sugars, fat, and sodium that, in excess, can contribute to the risk of chronic disease development.

Though new nutrition research and terminology is constantly the subject of media headlines, the widely-accepted and long-proven model for optimal nutrition remains the unsurprising, call it boring, truth – a balanced, varied, and colorful diet is the best way to ensure adequate intake of nutrients that support optimal health. No one is saying processed foods are not part of this equation.

Lactobacillus Taxonomy

NEW name for some probiotics! What you need to know.

In April 2020, the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (IJSEM) published a change in how Lactobacillus is classified. Lactobacillus is a very common and popular “friendly” bacteria used as a live microbial dietary ingredient (LMDI) and probiotic that is often found in fermented foods, like yogurt, and in dietary supplements. Prior to the IJSEM announcement, Lactobacillus was comprised of 261 species that have now been reclassified into 25 genera. When reading the name of a LMDI and probiotic, the genus comes first followed by species and strain. For example, Lactobacillus (genus) rhamnosus (species) GG(strain) is a popular strain of bacteria used in dietary supplements.

The choice to make this change was due to the genetic sequence data that suggested the genus Lactobacillus was too broad genetically. The change helps keep the LMDI and probiotic groups more accurate and organized. Only the genus name “Lactobacillus” has changed, not species or strains that are found in the LMDI and probiotic name.

What is changing? The microorganisms used as food cultures and probiotics in your food or dietary supplement will not change, but the label might. This is dependent on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deciding to mandate changes.

Old Name	New Name	Abbreviated Name
Lactobacillus casei	Lacticaseibacillus casei	L. casei
Lactobacillus paracasei	Lacticaseibacillus paracasei	L. paracasei
Lactobacillus rhamnosus	Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus	L. rhamnosus
Lactobacillus plantarum	Lactiplantibacillus plantarum	L. plantarum
Lactobacillus brevis	Levilactobacillus brevis	L. brevis
Lactobacillus salivarius	Ligilactobacillus salivarius	L. salivarius
Lactobacillus fermentum	Limosilactobacillus fermentum	L. fermentum
Lactobacillus reuteri	Limosilactobacillus reuteri	L. reuteri

What is not changing? The following Lactobacillus names will not change:

Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus gasseri
Lactobacillus helveticus
Lactobacillus bulgaricus

More information:

A More Sustainable Food Supply: How Food Additives Help

Even in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, research has found that consumers are still highly interested in sustainability. In fact, a substantial 83% of U.S. consumers take environmental impact into account when purchasing food products – indicative of the rising trend of sustainability over the past decade. With the global population steadily climbing towards an estimated 9.6 billion by the year 2050, equating to an additional 75 million people each year needing food, it may seem challenging to produce food in a manner that doesn’t negatively affect the environment. But with a better understanding of food additives and their contributions to sustainability, the goal of providing a sufficient amount of food while trimming excess and preventing waste becomes more realistic.

Food ingredients – more specifically food additives – are used to enhance the flavor, texture, appearance, and other key qualities of food. But what you may not know is that sustainability is an integral element to their purpose and function. Food additives help to keep our food supply sustainable by preserving food to keep it fresh and edible for extended periods of time, bolstering plant-based products and diets, and enhancing overall food production, distribution, packaging, and storage. Food additives also help support sustainability by contributing to food availability, nutrition delivery, affordability, and convenience while supporting the growth and development of domestic and global economies.

How Do food Additives Bolster Sustainability?

Every year, around one-third of all food produced on earth (over 1 billion tons) goes to waste. Not only does this squander resources, but it accounts for between 8-10% of emissions contributing to the global carbon footprint, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Food additives are a crucial element to reducing food waste and loss. Throughout history, certain ingredients have been used as a means of preserving food products to prevent them from spoiling – demonstrating how the purpose of food additives is inherently anti-food waste. Additives are necessary in guaranteeing consistent quality as food products travel from farms, factories, retailers, and ultimately to the plate. Food additives also contribute to food safety. By helping to ensure food safety and quality, food additives are a crucial element in maintaining and enhancing a sustainable food supply.

How Do Food Additives Enhance Food Production & Distribution?

Food additives support sustainability by enhancing the longevity and safety of food products. Whether produced from natural sources or synthesized under safe and regulated conditions, many additives serve to maintain a product’s freshness or prevent causes of spoilage like extreme temperatures and lights, microorganisms, or chemicals. Not only do additives help to prevent food from going bad, they also can enhance taste and appearance.

Many food additives are designed with the purpose of extending a product’s shelf life by, in one way or another, preserving the integrity and quality of a product. Depending on the food product, the use of additives can substantially extend shelf life by preventing oxidation, inhibiting decay, rot, or mold, and more. In these instances, food additives allow products to maintain original form for longer periods of time with no drop-off in safety, health, or taste.

Food products travel long distances before ending up in your fridge, passing through farms, factories, retailers, and more before being purchased – additives that prevent early food expiration help protect the integrity, safety, and quality of food throughout this process.

How Do Food Additives Contribute to Sustainable, Plant-Based Products and Diets?

Plant-based food ingredients directly bolster environmental sustainability by supporting the growing plant-based food market. Many consumers are incorporating more plant-based foods into their diets as a healthier lifestyle change that also better supports the environment, with a full quarter of 25-34 year old Americans now saying they are vegans or vegetarians. These ingredients do not require the use of any animals in their production, and thus evade the resulting emissions from animal farming, digestive gas from animals, storage and production associated with animals, and more. Plant-based diets and products are chosen by many for their inherent positive effect on the environmental footprint of individuals and food supplies. In addition, many food ingredients also contribute to the rich, savory and umami flavors of plant-based products that have drawn in many consumers who are looking for flavorful plant-based meat-alternatives.

As it currently stands, food additives support sustainability in the supply chain and in food production through maintaining and reducing the amount of food that is wasted on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. As plant-based food trends continue to rise concurrently with sustainability concerns, food ingredients will continue to contribute to environmental sustainability through their incorporation within this growing market of food products. Technologies and innovations surrounding food additives will continue to develop and expand as time passes to better support and accommodate a sustainable food supply and future.

Shelf-stable: Expert body highlights the role of additives for food safety amid COVID-19

04/06/2020 – Despite the challenges posed by coronavirus, the International Food Additives Council (IFAC) is highlighting that the safety and quality of the global food supply remains strong, and that food additives continue to play a vital role in maintaining the quality of foods in the home pantry.

View the article on Food Ingredients First

Why Food Ingredients Are Especially Important During COVID-19

Currently the world is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and many are social distancing in an effort to stay healthy and help to stop the spread of the virus. As a result, many are purchasing food supplies intended to last for two to four weeks in order to avoid having to go to the store on a regular basis.

The International Food Additives Council wants to remind consumers that the safety and quality of the global food supply remains strong and that food additives continue to play an important role in maintaining the quality of foods in your pantry. Food additives help ensure food products remain shelf-stable, extend product shelf life, and allow consumers to stock up on food products without fear of immediate expiration. For more information on the different types of food ingredients and food additives, click here.

During this time, when consumers want to minimize their time in the store and may wish to stock up on food, packaged foods containing food additives are an excellent option. In addition to contributing to taste, texture, freshness, and appearance of food, food additives contribute to product stability and shelf life. Below are several important food additive classifications and how they contribute to product stability.

Preservatives

Preservatives help extend the life of foods and prevent spoilage. Preservatives also help foods maintain their appearance, taste, and texture. Preservatives are found in a variety of foods including jellies, cereals, oils, and baked goods.

Preservatives come in many forms. For example, sugar, salt, and vinegar are often used to delay the growth of bacteria in foods. Antioxidants help reduce oxidation in foods, increasing shelf life and preventing spoilage. And phosphates are used to help preserve processed meat and poultry products.

Emulsifiers, Stabilizers, and Thickeners

Emulsifiers, Stabilizers, and Thickeners are common food additives and help maintain the appearance of foods while preserving freshness and quality.

Emulsifiers help to prevent oil and water mixtures from separating within a product and are found in a variety of foods, including margarine, ice cream, bread, chocolate, and some processed meats. Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are a common example of an emulsifier that disperses fat in foods to allow it to become more water-soluble. They can also help reduce food waste by keeping foods mixed.
Stabilizers help ingredients stay dispersed and suspended in a product solution. Stabilizers are commonly used in beverages – such as fruit and vegetable juices – as well as liquid infant formula. Some common stabilizers include gellan gum and carrageenan.
Thickeners enhance the texture of foods and can give low fat or reduced calorie foods the texture of full fat/calorie options. Xanthan gum is a common thickener and can even be purchased in grocery stores.

Firming Agents

Firming agents help foods maintain their crisp quality and strength. They are also commonly used to help prolong shelf life. Firming agents are used in a variety of foods including canned meats, pickles, fruits, and vegetables. Sodium citrate, also known as citric acid, is a common firming agent derived from citrus fruit.

IFAC Statement on the Role of Food Additives During COVID-19

The effects of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to present many global challenges. However, the International Food Additives Council wants to remind consumers that the safety and quality of the global food supply remains strong and that food additives continue to play an important role in maintaining the quality of foods in your pantry. Food additives help ensure food products remain shelf-stable, extend product shelf life, and allow consumers to stock up on food products without fear of immediate expiration. For more information on the different types of food ingredients and food additives, click here.

While there have been isolated reports of shortages of certain food products at retail, which are primarily due to transportation and restocking issues, it is important to note that COVID-19 has not made an impact on food safety. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), there is no evidence of COVID-19 transmission through food or food packaging, including imported goods such as food and drugs for animals and pets. There have also been no cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. associated with imported goods.

Preservatives

Emulsifiers, Stabilizers, and Thickeners

Emulsifiers, Stabilizers, and Thickeners are common food additives and help maintain the appearance of foods while preserving freshness and quality.

Emulsifiers help to prevent oil and water mixtures from separating within a product and are found in a variety of foods, including margarine, ice cream, bread, chocolate, and some processed meats. Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are a common example of an emulsifier that disperses fat in foods to allow it to become more water-soluble. They can also help reduce food waste by keeping foods mixed.
Stabilizers help ingredients stay dispersed and suspended in a product solution. Stabilizers are commonly used in beverages – such as fruit and vegetable juices – as well as liquid infant formula. Some common stabilizers include gellan gum and carrageenan.
Thickeners enhance the texture of foods and can give low fat or reduced calorie foods the texture of full fat/calorie options. Xanthan gum is a common thickener and can even be purchased in grocery stores.

Firming Agents

IFAC statement regarding potential allergen labeling for food culture preparations in the United States

The International Food Additives Council (IFAC) is a global association representing manufacturers and users of food ingredients, including live microbial food ingredients. IFAC strives to promote science-based regulations, standards, and specifications for food ingredients and food additives worldwide. IFAC developed the following statement to provide clarification to manufacturers and users when considering potential United States allergen labeling requirements of food and probiotic cultures preparations used in final food products.

U.S. Food Allergen Labeling Laws and Regulations

The U.S. Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) of 2004 requires that eight major food allergens be labeled on product packaging. These are defined in section 403(w) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and include: milk, egg, fish (e.g., bass, flounder, or cod), crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, or shrimp), tree nuts (e.g., almonds, pecans, or walnuts), wheat, peanuts, and soybeans.

Food Ingredients

Food and food ingredient manufacturers must follow FALCPA requirements if a product contains protein derived from one of the eight major food allergens, with the exception of any highly refined oil derived from one of these allergens or any ingredient derived from such highly refined oil. The food source from which a major food allergen is derived must be labeled.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides guidance for industry on Food Allergen Labeling Exemption Petitions and Notifications and defines ingredients as substances that are “derived (e.g., through chemical, biochemical, mechanical, fermentation or bioengineering processes) from a major food allergen and that contain proteins or peptides.” If an allergen is used when manufacturing a food culture, and if the food culture preparation in its finished state does not contain the allergen, a petition to the FDA for labeling exemption must be filed and accepted as per 21 U.S.C. 343(w)(6) and (7).

Use of Substances Added to Food Cultures Preparations

Food cultures, including probiotics, are used as ingredients in the production of final foods including use in dietary supplements. Food cultures are produced by fermentation. After fermentation, food cultures are processed further. The final food culture preparation that is placed on the market may contain additives or other ingredients. These are added after fermentation and are necessary for survival, storage, and to facilitate the application of the food culture preparation in the food production process.

Equipment

In addition to food and dietary supplement labeling laws, the U.S. has food processing regulations as another measure of safety and prevention of cross-contact with food allergens during production. Pursuant to the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA),¹ manufacturers are required to sanitize equipment and surfaces to prevent food allergen cross-contact (21 CFR 117.35(d)). Additional requirements manufacturers must follow include but are not limited to: document hazards, including allergens (21 CFR 117.130(a)(2)); develop a preventive control plan (21 CFR 117.135(b)), and develop a written recall program (21 CFR 117.139(a)).

IFAC Position

If the food culture or probiotic product contains one of the 8 major allergens, then it must be labeled as per FALCPA. This applies to all raw materials introduced during the production that could result in allergenic properties. In order to be exempt from allergen labeling, a notification or petition to the FDA must be filed and accepted as per 21 U.S.C. 343(w)(6) and (7).

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer of the final food to ensure that these products are labeled and in compliance with U.S. food labeling laws and regulations mentioned above. In addition, it is the responsibility of food business operators (food culture or probiotic manufactures) that supply to manufacturers of final foods to ensure that those manufacturers are provided with sufficient information to enable them to meet their food allergen labeling obligations.

¹ The U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), enacted in January 2011, fundamentally shifts the focus of food safety in the United States from responding to food safety incidents after they occur to preventing them from happening. FSMA applies to the safe production of all foods sold in the U.S., including agricultural products, raw materials, processed foods, food additives and Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) substances, and includes requirements for appropriate Quality Systems, Preventive Controls and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) during product manufacture, transport and storage. These requirements appear in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations at Title 21, Section 117 (21 CFR 117).

Download the PDF

The European Food & Feed Cultures Association (EFFCA) also released a statement on the provision of information relating to allergenic substances which are present in food culture preparations. Click the button below to read more.

Read more from EFFCA here.

IFAC NDIN Guide

Thank you for your interest in IFAC’s NDIN Guide. Please find the full PDF guide below.