PRODUCT POLICY

Ingredient Safety

Ingredient Safety

Maintaining a safe and reliable supply of food, beverage, household and personal care products

Ingredient safety is the number one priority for the makers of America’s food, beverage, personal care and household brands. The industry has a long history of innovating to meet evolving consumer preferences without ever compromising on safety, value or convenience.

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers adhere to the rigorous science and risk-based safety standards established by regulatory bodies to deliver safe, affordable and convenient products that consumers depend on every day.

The CPG industry has always prioritized transparency, and it will continue to lead the way to ensure consumers have the information they want and need to make informed purchasing decisions about what they put in and on their bodies and use in their homes. Facts up Front^™ and SmartLabel® are just two examples of industry-led programs that bring more information about the product to the consumers’ fingertips. SmartLabel allows consumers to access more information such as ingredient definitions as well as provides critical consumer product safety recall alerts.

The CPG industry relies on strong federal regulatory authorities in order to innovate and provide consumers with safe, affordable and convenient products they depend on. For example, the recent modernization of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which unified previously separate functions of safety, policy and nutrition under one umbrella, now known as the Human Foods Program. This change has strengthened the entire agency’s ability to work more cohesively, allowing them to move at the speed of the consumer, an effort led by the Consumer Brands Association. By establishing a modernized agenda that proactively addresses chemical safety, prioritizes substance reviews, enhances public engagement and improves communication about ingredient risks and benefits, the CPG industry can better meet the needs of the consumers while continuing to innovate and grow.

Food Additives

What are food additives? Well, at their core, they are the ingredients added to food that help to enhance everything from the mouth feel to the nutritional value of the products. Some specific examples of additives include emulsifiers and stabilizers, which help to blend and maintain texture by keeping mixtures from separating, found in products like yogurt and salad dressing. Another food additive, nutrients, help consumers get essential nutrition and fill common dietary gaps, often found in many everyday products such as bread and cereal.

The makers of America’s food and beverage products follow strict regulations and rigorous safety protocols for how their products are made, packaged and labeled, including providing a clear Nutrition Facts label and a complete list of ingredients to ensure transparency and empower consumers to make informed choices. Food ingredients must meet the same safety standard regardless of whether they are naturally or artificially derived.

It is common for some ingredients to appear unfamiliar at first glance, but they are often the essential vitamins, nutrients and other components known to support good nutrition, help keep food safe and make it taste good.

Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)

Food and beverage companies adhere to the rigorous science and risk-based system established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that protects America’s food supply. FDA’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) process plays an important role in this proven system, enabling companies to innovate to meet consumer demand while also meeting FDA’s regulations and safety standards.

Food ingredients can be GRAS if they have a long history of safe use in food and are recognized as safe for consumption by qualified experts. GRAS substances include common food ingredients such as salt, pepper, vinegar and baking powder, as well as other ingredients being used to meet consumers’ current dietary and nutritional preferences. Even though GRAS notifications have been voluntary, the FDA maintains a list of more than 1,000 GRAS notices provided by companies.

GRAS supports the agility and innovation for the makers of America’s food and beverage brands to deliver safe, affordable and convenient products that consumers depend on every day.

What We Do

Advocate for important and necessary changes at the federal and state level to ensure those responsible for product safety can move quickly to meet consumer needs today and in the future.