USP Seeking Comments on New FCC Standards

ROCKVILLE, Md.The U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) is seeking comments on the latest proposed Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) standards before they go into effect. Food manufacturers are encouraged to provide feedback via the online Food Chemicals Codex Forum, or FCC Forum. The current 90-day comment period closes March 31, 2011.

With this latest FCC Forum, USP is advancing the goal of making the Food Chemicals Codex a useful resource to food manufacturers by providing world-class methods and emphasizing ingredients that are innovative, in demand and widely used," said James Griffiths, Ph.D., vice president of food, dietary supplement and excipient standards for USP. These standards are designed to help ensure the identity, purity and consistency of ingredientswhich cannot be taken for granted as ingredients are sourced from suppliers large and small, from almost every corner of the globe. As we seek to make this a helpful resource for industry, we ask that manufacturers review these standards and provide us with their valuable feedback. We are also always interested in working with industry to develop new standards for inclusion in future editions of the Food Chemicals Codex."

Among the proposed standards is a new method for determining the bio-based content of food ingredients. This method can establish the amount of a food ingredient derived from renewable carbon sources, such as those that are plant- or animal-based, versus petroleum-based raw materials. Also included are proposed standards for arachidonic acid, monk fruit extract, krill oil, two non-caloric sweeteners, yeast beta-glucan and L-theanine.

Click here to sign up for free access to the FCC Forum.