Food Additives Registry

Mission & Methodology

The Food Additives Registry (FAR) is the centralized digital infrastructure for food ingredient identity, safety data, and regulatory status. We bridge the gap between federal oversight, state-level enforcement, and international standards.

1. Our Purpose

We believe that a transparent food supply requires a single, immutable source of truth.

Historically, regulatory data for food ingredients has been siloed—locked in static federal registers, scattered across international monographs, or held privately by manufacturers. As regulatory frameworks diverge between U.S. states and international bodies, this fragmentation creates risk for consumers and compliance burdens for industry.

FAR aggregates, harmonizes, and standardizes this data into a unified public record. We provide the digital "plumbing" that enables:

  • Regulators to monitor safety signals across jurisdictions.
  • Manufacturers to validate compliance against evolving standards.
  • Consumers to access evidence-based toxicology data without alarmism.

2. Definitions & Scope

The Registry tracks substances based on their legal regulatory classification. Understanding the distinction between these categories is critical for interpreting safety data.

Food Additives

Definition: Substances that have been explicitly petitioned and approved by the FDA for a specific use under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 CFR Parts 170–199).

Regulatory Status: These substances undergo a rigorous pre-market approval process by federal authorities.

Examples: Red Dye No. 40 (Allura Red), Aspartame, Calcium Propionate.

GRAS Substances (Generally Recognized as Safe)

Definition: Ingredients that are intentionally added to food but are exempt from the "Food Additive" approval process because they are generally recognized as safe by qualified experts.

The Distinction: While some GRAS substances are notified to the FDA, others are "Self-Affirmed" by manufacturers without federal review. FAR tracks both Notified and Self-Affirmed GRAS determinations to ensure a complete record of the food supply.

Examples: Caffeine, Guar Gum, certain probiotics.

Prior-Sanctioned Substances

Definition: Ingredients that were approved for use in food prior to the 1958 Food Additives Amendment.

Status: These are "grandfathered" into the regulatory framework but are tracked by FAR to monitor modern safety re-evaluations.

Examples: Sodium Nitrite, Potassium Nitrate.

3. Data Sourcing & Integrity

The Registry does not generate independent toxicology studies. We aggregate and structure data from authoritative primary sources:

  • United States: FDA Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR), FDA GRAS Notice Inventory, and State-level legislative codes (e.g., California Health & Safety Code).
  • International: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
  • European Union: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) OpenFoodTox Database.

All data points in the registry are citation-backed. Every status claim, toxicology limit (ADI), and safety assessment includes a direct reference to the originating government or scientific document.