FDA Finalizes Voluntary GRAS Notification Process, CFS Explores Legal Options

FDA released a long-awaited final rule officially replacing the voluntary generally recognized as safe affirmation petition process with a voluntary GRAS notification procedure for substances used in food, drawing strong protests from food and consumer safety stakeholders who say FDA is handing off responsibility to regulate the food supply to industry and leaving one advocacy group to explore legal options. The agency had proposed such a system in 1997 and established an interim pilot program in 2010 because the affirmation...