Food additives food genetic engineering. Nutrition.

International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation (ICGFI)

International expert group designated by governments to evaluate and advise on the subject of food irradiation, with IAEA, FAO and WHO support. "to continue international cooperation for further development and possible commercialization of food irradiation, and through the Organizations to assist the Member States, in particular developing nations, in the promotion of wholesome food supply and proper nutrition."

Food Irradiation: Iowa State University Extension

Lay information from this Extension web site, with a very reassuring tone.

 

Return to food safety index

Pesticides, additives and other added chemical issues

Pick of the crop EAFUS: a food additive database from FDA "Informational database maintained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) under an ongoing program known as the Priority-based Assessment of Food Additives (PAFA). It contains administrative, chemical and toxicological information on over 2000 substances directly added to food, including substances regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as direct, "secondary" direct, and color additives, and Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and prior-sanctioned substances. In addition, the database contains only administrative and chemical information on less than 1000 such substances. The more than 3000 total substances together comprise an inventory often referred to as "Everything" Added to Food in the United States (EAFUS)." This is part of a wider FDA site on Food Additives, Pesticides and Chemical Contaminants which has a range of lay material and documents for industry. See also the CFSAN site Summary of Color Additives listed for Use (listed below).

Codex Alimentarius Commission

This is the FAO/WHO body concerned with food standards, including additives and pesticides in foods, allowable limits, micronutrient supplementaton etc. On their web site you will find information on the Codex, meetings and other food standards.

Environmental Working Group

A Washington-based public interest organisation which has produced a series of lengthy reports, with references on pesticides in the food supply, the outcome of reading which is a postiive view towards organic foods. The reports are available on-line, including:

• Pestcides in baby food
• Illegal pesticides in the US food supply
• A Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA)

"role is to assess the human health risks associated with the consumption of additives to food and to recommend Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) levels, tolerable limits for environmental and industrial chemical contaminants in food and Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) of agricultural chemical inputs in food such as veterinary drug residues in meat and meat products". Their web page has some meeting reports.

FDA: Pesticides and Chemical Contaminants

Material from the Centre for Food Safety and Nutrition , a part of the FDA.

FDA Food additive regulations

This particular site has an extract from the full food and drug regulations which relates to environmental impact of food colourings.

FDA/CFSAN OPA: Summary of Color Additives listed for Use in the U.S.

Another FDA resource, this summary groups the color additives according to their categories of use and identifies the listing citation in Title 21 for each color additive. The full title is: Summary of Color Additives listed for Use in the U.S. in Foods, Drugs, Cosmetics, and Medical Devices

FDA/CFSAN: Food Additives, Pesticides & Chemical Contaminants

Lay information, on a reassuring note!

Food Additives: What's In It For Me?: K12 Ruralnet project

Nice school project which covers the basics of food additives, and provides a number of links to other Internet resources.

FDA/CFSAN Food Color Facts

Lay information on food colouring agents.

Woolworths - Search for a Food Additive

Search by code number (Australian system) or name.

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

Organisational information.

Return to food safety index

Food genetic engineering

Pick of the crop Ausfoods: links to food engineering sites Although this site is maintained by a company that consults to food industry, this is a well balanced set of links, including sites which present both the positive and negative viewpoints on this subject. There are both Australian and international links.