Submitted as a white paper to the Office of Management and Budget, the definition was drafted with “feedback from thousands of stakeholders, including industry, consumer organizations, researchers and members of the public,” the HHS says.
The U.S. HHS and FDA have submitted a proposed definition of "ultra-processed foods" to the OMB for review. Developed with feedback from various stakeholders, the definition aims to create federal uniformity, but it has not yet been published in the Federal Register.
While the outbreak is over, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues the outbreak investigation of cyclospora infections linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico.
The FDA says converting GRAS notification from voluntary to mandatory would ‘lead to increased transparency about substances that are added to food.
The FDA proposes making the GRAS notification program mandatory, requiring food substances to demonstrate safety for their intended use, aiming to enhance transparency and regulation. The process would apply to both existing and new substances, with some exceptions, and initial evaluations would take 45 days.
This work will inform the agency’s upcoming post-market safety assessment of the food contact uses of phthalates.
The U.S. FDA has evaluated eight ortho-(o)-phthalates used as plasticizers in food contact for a cumulative risk assessment. This analysis will inform the FDA's upcoming safety assessment and determine if these substances should be grouped based on their chemical or pharmacological similarities.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported both individuals had “significant underlying health conditions” that were likely impacted by cyclosporiasis infection and dehydration.
The FDA notes the number of confirmed cases is expected to rise, despite a recall initiated by Taylor Farms, since it can take as long as six weeks for the CDC and state officials to determine if a sick person is part of the outbreak.
Laboratory, epidemiological and traceback data indicate that shell eggs recalled by Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. are a likely source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 100.
The FDA originally had identified Taylor Farms de Mexico as the Taco Bell shredded iceberg lettuce supplier connected to the parasite outbreak that has sickened hundreds across the country.