New Center Focuses on Food Ingredient Safety

WASHINGTON and EAST LANSING, Mich.—Food, beverage and consumer products industries, in association with the Grocery Manufacturers Association and Michigan State University (MSU), have established the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety (CRIS), an independent resource that provides unbiased analysis and information on the safety of ingredients used in foods and consumers products.

CRIS will be modeled after already existing centers of expertise at other academic institutions that focus on allergen and microbiological safety. It will be located at MSU and be governed by an advisory board composed of multiple stakeholders, including academic, industry, NGO and regulatory representatives.

Also partnering on the endeavor is the University of Michigan Risk Science Center, which will lead the communications component by developing innovative approaches to connecting the CRIS research with stakeholders. The center also will provide responsive and evidence-informed risk/benefit insights into topical issues on food ingredient safety.

“Ensuring the safety of our products—and maintaining the confidence of consumers—is the single most important goal of our industry," said GMA’s Chief Science Officer Leon Bruner, DVM, Ph.D. “We are very pleased to be part of the founding of the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety."

CRIS has outlined the following goals: