Just in time for Halloween, Center for Food Safety has issued a press release saying that MARS Corporation, a candy company, is reiterating its commitment to removing titanium dioxide from its food products. The company released a statement in February stating that it would remove artificial colors from its products in five years, but that … Read more
Consumer and public health groups, including the Consumer Federation of America, are urging the FDA to withdraw approval of ortho-phthalate food additives used in food packaging and food handling equipment. The groups filed a citizen’s petition with the government. Those chemicals are used as plasticizers, binders, coating agents, defoamers, gasket closures, and slimicide agents on machines … Read more
The restaurant chain Panera is expanding the list of additives they will no longer have in the food they sell. By the end of 2016, all of the food it offers for sale will be free of artificial colors, sweeteners, and flavors. Panera just published a “No No List” of additives they are forbidding in … Read more
Environmental Working Group (EWG) has launched a petition to remove propyl paraben, an endocrine disruptor, from the country’s food. This ingredient is in 49 processed foods, including Sara Lee cinnamon rolls, Weight Watchers cakes, Energy Club nuts and chocolate blend, Entenmann’s Coconut Crunch Donuts, Setton Farms’ trail mix, and La Banderita corn tortillas. Propyl paraben … Read more
Environmental Working Group has published its first-ever “dirty dozen” guide to food additives. That organization has a “dirty dozen” list of produce that contains large amounts of pesticides and herbicides. This list is for label readers; it tells you which additives to avoid. Nitrates and nitrates are first on the list; they are chemicals used … Read more
The Food and Drug Administration has found that 96% of children age 2 to 5 years are exposed to food dyes. Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA in 2008 asking to ban eight of the nine certified color additives. CSPI senior scientist Lisa Y. Lefferts said in a statement, “such widespread … Read more
The Center for Food Safety has filed a lawsuit against the FDA over food additives. The suit asks the Court to vacate the government’s 1997 proposed rule on generally recognized as safe (GRAS) additives that lets corporations determine if a substance is GRAS or not. CFS wants the agency to go back to its old … Read more
LSG Food World, Inc. is recalling at least 4,100 cartons of Noodle House noodles because they contain unapproved color and undeclared food additives. The products were manufactured in China. There is no word on any injuries or illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. The recalled products are Noodles House Home Style Noodles, in … Read more
When I was studying food science at the University of Minnesota, professors often mentioned the GRAS list. That list, which lists food additives that are “Generally Regarded as Safe“, is used by manufacturers to choose additives to use when they are developing products. Back then, most additives on the GRAS list were included because they … Read more
A little more than a week after introducing its latest chewing gum product, the William Wrigley Jr Co. has temporarily removed Alert Energy Caffeine Gum from the market while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rethinks its stance on caffeine as a food additive. The gum, which was rolled out in late April, was … Read more