The Committee on Food and Chemical Safety promotes a science-based determination of the chemical safety of foods to support the advancement of public health.
How this committee operates:
The Food and Chemical Safety Committee focuses on many different issues related to the safety of the food supply. To deliver output and impact, the committee works in subgroups focused on specific areas of food and chemical safety. Explore the work of the Committees below.
Areas of Work
Food allergies affect a significant number of children and adults in the US and globally. Potential exposure to food allergens is currently communicated using ambiguous, unhelpful statements such as “may contain” or “packaged in a facility that also processes”. The committee supported the first study of its kind to model peanut allergen dose-responses based on US clinical tests and estimate thresholds of peanut protein that trigger an adverse reaction. The use of allergen response thresholds has the potential to significantly improve food labeling with measurable benefits to allergic individuals (read the project description here and the publication here).
The Committee was a co-sponsor of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Abbott Nutrition
ADM
Cargill, Incorporated
Campbell Soup
Conagra Brands
General Mills, Inc.
The Hershey Company
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.
Keurig Dr Pepper
Kraft Heinz Company
Mondelēz International
ACADEMIC ADVISOR
Norbert Kaminski, PhD, Michigan State University
GOVERNMENT LIAISONS
Suzanne Fitzpatrick, PhD, DABT
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Randolph Duverna, PhD
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food Safety & Inspection Service Office of Public Health Service
Katie Weyrauch
U.S Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Louis D'Amico, PhD
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development
Projects Supported by the Committee:
Publications
Newest to Oldest
Risk Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Food: Symposium Proceedings
Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2021
Bayesian Hierarchical Evaluation of Dose-Response for Peanut Allergy in Clinical Trial Screening
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2021
Risk-based labeling based on the minimal eliciting doses in populations with peanut allergy is a potentially more informative alternative to current labeling practices for those challenged with managing food allergens. This study focuses on the eliciting doses for 1 and 5 percent of sensitive individuals.
Global Wheat Trade and Codex Alimentarius Guidelines for Deoxynivalenol: A Mycotoxin Common in Wheat
Global Food Security, 2021
2015 Codex guidelines for a mycotoxin do not appear to be affecting the global wheat trade. Without a core-periphery structure and engaged nations in the center of world wheat trade adopting these guidelines, it may take longer for these guidelines to be widely adopted, and for populations worldwide to benefit from lower exposure to Deoxynivalenol in their diets.
State of the Science on Alternatives to Animal Testing and Integration of Testing Strategies for Food Safety Assessments: Workshop Proceedings
Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2019
These proceedings highlight advances in testing strategies to reduce animal testing and the need for the development of a standardized approach for use of these alternative methodologies in food safety assessment.
Incorporating New Approach Methodologies in Toxicity Testing and Exposure Assessment for Tiered Risk Assessment Using the RISK21 Approach: Case Studies on Food Contact Chemicals
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2019
This study highlights the potential utility of the RISK21 approach for interpretation of the ToxCast HTS data, as well as the challenges involved in integrating in vitro HTS data into safety assessments. This work was supported by the IAFNS Food and Chemical Safety Committee 2016 Summer Fellowship.
Events
2022
Federal and State Efforts to Restrict PFAS: Impact on Food Companies
November 14, 2022
Virtual, Event
This webinar will highlight recent and upcoming state laws and federal-level actions that will likely impact food companies and their packaging suppliers. The webinar will also highlight EPA’s actions under the PFAS Strategic Roadmap and preview expected actions later in 2022 and beyond.
Read more about Federal and State Efforts to Restrict PFAS: Impact on Food Companies