259253 Food additives: Hazardous products of a global market

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 10:34 AM - 10:48 AM

Myra Karstadt, PhD , Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Food additives sold in the United States have frequently been developed and produced in other countries, most notably in Europe. Individual countries regulate food additives, with the stated goal of ensuring that the chemicals are safe for use by consumers. Transnational advisory and consensus bodies, such as JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives), have played an important role in providing scientific assessments of food additive safety. However, these bodies, as well as the regulatory agencies in the United States and abroad, have often demonstrated a bias towards industry viewpoints, likely due in good part to the vast disparity in resources between scientists representing industry (industry employees and consultants), and scientist advocates for public health and consumer safety. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) process for approving food additive petitions presents major barriers to public health advocates. The global nature of this problem is well-illustrated by the approval process for use of acesulfame potassium, an artificial sweetener developed and marketed by the German chemical company Hoechst and successor companies in the United States. Inadequate safety testing reviewed by FDA was carried out in Europe, the sweetener was approved for use in European countries before approval was granted in the United States, and JECFA consistently downplayed potential hazards of acesulfame. Explanation and analysis of the multinational actions that shaped the food additive approval process for acesulfame can help us appreciate the complexities of protecting American health and safety in a global marketplace.

Learning Areas:
Basic medical science applied in public health
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
This report will provide the resources for individuals and organizations interested in public health and public health policy to COMPARE regulation of food additives in various countries and ANALYZE regulation of food additives in the United States, and will EXPLAIN how international organizations and standards affect regulation of food additives in the United States.

Keywords: FDA, International Systems

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been engaged in research and activism on the subject of this paper for almost 20 years. I have published papers on this issue, and have presented information to professional organizations and graduate-level classes. My background in biochemistry and law suits me particularly well to analyze the problems in this area, and recommend steps to be taken to solve those problems.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.