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
Journal Articles
Insights and Perspectives on Emerging Inputs to Weight of Evidence Determinations for Food Safety: Workshop Proceedings
International Journal of Toxicology, 2013
Determining the Applicability of Threshold of Toxicological Concern Approaches to Substances Found in Foods
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2013
By appropriately applying the methods, employing the appropriate scientific expertise, and combining use with the conservative assumptions embedded within the derivation of the thresholds, the TTC can realize its potential to protect public health and to contribute to efficient use of resources in food safety risk management.
Meta-Analysis of ADHD or ADHD Symptoms, Restriction Diet, and Synthetic Food Color Additives
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012
The IAFNS Committee on Food and Chemical Safety initiated a collaborative project to analyze the scientific literature and evaluate the strength of the evidence between artificial food colors and ADHD by conducting an evidence-based review process.
An Appraisal of the Published Literature on the Safety and Toxicity of Food-Related Nanomaterials
Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2011
This article, published in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, is an evaluation to characterize the published literature pertaining to the safety of oral exposure to food-related nanomaterials and to identify research needs in this area.
A Method to Assess the Quality of Studies That Examine the Toxicity of Engineered Nanomaterials
International Journal of Toxicology, 2010
A two-step method to assess the quality of nanotoxicity studies is described in this article published in the International Journal of Toxicology (2010;29:402-410).
Events
2023
IAFNS at IAFP 2023
July 16, 2023 – July 19, 2023
Toronto, Canada
Each year, the International Association for Food Protection hosts an Annual Meeting, providing attendees with information on current and emerging food safety issues, the latest science, innovative solutions to new and recurring problems, and the opportunity to network with thousands of food safety professionals from around the globe. IAFNS is proud to support four sessions this year!
- Martin Wiedmann, Cornell University
- Yan Luo, FDA
- Jessie Heidenreich, Hilmar Cheese Company
Date and Time: Monday, July 17, 2023 from 10:45AM-12:15PM
Event Link: https://iafp.confex.com/iafp/2023/onlineprogram.cgi/Session/8847
Data Sharing in the Digital Age of Food Safety ExpandConvenor: Kathy Glass, University of Wisconsin
Panelist:
- De Ann Davis, Western Growers Association
- Angie Siemens, Cargill
- Sophia Santillana-Farakos, FDA
- James Doyle, Crème Global
- Marie Breton, Health Canada
Date and Time: Monday, July, 17, 2023 from 3:45 to 5:15 PM
Event Link: https://iafp.confex.com/iafp/2023/onlineprogram.cgi/Session/8849
Investigating Ambiguous Outbreaks and Adverse Events ExpandConvenor: Laurie Post (Deibel Labs) and Kelly Dawson (Conagra Brands)
Speakers:
- Craig Hedberg, University of Minnesota
- Tim Jackson, FDA
- Michael Vasser, CDC
- Mitzi Baum, STOP Foodborne Illness
Date and Time: Wednesday, July 19, 2023 from 1:30-3:30 PM
Event Link: https://iafp.confex.com/iafp/2023/onlineprogram.cgi/Session/8835
From Farm to Food: A New Perspective on Heavy Metals in Human Diets Expand Convenor: Paul Hanlon, Abbott Nutrition Speakers:- Benjamin Runkle, University of Arkansas
- Felicia Wu, Michigan State University
- Kevin Boyd, The Hershey Company
Join IAFNS at the IAFP 2023 Annual Meeting July 16-19, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: https://www.foodprotection.org/annualmeeting/
Genomics in Food Safety- How to Use the Tools to Prevent Outbreaks ExpandConvenor: Heather Carleton, CDC
Speakers:
- Martin Wiedmann, Cornell University
- Yan Luo, FDA
- Jessie Heidenreich, Hilmar Cheese Company
Date and Time: Monday, July 17, 2023 from 10:45AM-12:15PM
Event Link: https://iafp.confex.com/iafp/2023/onlineprogram.cgi/Session/8847
Data Sharing in the Digital Age of Food Safety ExpandConvenor: Kathy Glass, University of Wisconsin
Panelist:
- De Ann Davis, Western Growers Association
- Angie Siemens, Cargill
- Sophia Santillana-Farakos, FDA
- James Doyle, Crème Global
- Marie Breton, Health Canada
Date and Time: Monday, July, 17, 2023 from 3:45 to 5:15 PM
Event Link: https://iafp.confex.com/iafp/2023/onlineprogram.cgi/Session/8849
Investigating Ambiguous Outbreaks and Adverse Events ExpandConvenor: Laurie Post (Deibel Labs) and Kelly Dawson (Conagra Brands)
Speakers:
- Craig Hedberg, University of Minnesota
- Tim Jackson, FDA
- Michael Vasser, CDC
- Mitzi Baum, STOP Foodborne Illness
Date and Time: Wednesday, July 19, 2023 from 1:30-3:30 PM
Event Link: https://iafp.confex.com/iafp/2023/onlineprogram.cgi/Session/8835
From Farm to Food: A New Perspective on Heavy Metals in Human Diets Expand Convenor: Paul Hanlon, Abbott Nutrition Speakers:- Benjamin Runkle, University of Arkansas
- Felicia Wu, Michigan State University
- Kevin Boyd, The Hershey Company