Food Science (Government Regulations)

Codex Alimentarius Commission

The international organization that develops international food standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines to protect consumers' health.

GRAS stands for...

Generally Recognized as Safe

COOL

Country of origin labeling

COOL definition

Required identification of the country of origin on the label for fresh red meat (beef, pork, lamb, veal), etc.

Delaney Clause

anything causing cancer in animals or humans must be removed from market; added to the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938.

GRAS definition

A list of compounds exempt from the food additive definition because they are generally recognized as safe based on "a reasonable certainty of no harm from a product under the intended conditions of use."

health claims

statements that characterize the relationship between a nutrient or other substance in a food and a disease or health-related condition

qualified health claims

health claims for which there is emerging but not well-established evidence

Unqualified health claims

statements allowed on food labels by FDA; must be supported by qualified experts agreeing scientific evidence is available determining a relationship between a nutrient and a specific disease

standards of identity

requirements for the type and amount of ingredients a food should contain in order to be labeled as that food

food fraud

the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients or food packing, or false or misleading statements about a product

Standards of Minimum Quality

Minimum quality requirements for tenderness, color, and freedom from defects in canned fruits and vegetables.

FDA Food Code

Recommendations from the FDA on how to prevent foodborne illness; published every 2 years

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

1938: A law that prohibits the manufacture and shipment of faulty products in interstate commerce.

Pure Food and Drug Act

1906 - Forbade the manufacture or sale of mislabeled or adulterated food or drugs, it gave the government broad powers to ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs in order to abolish the "patent" medicine trade. Still in existence as the FDA.