Did FEMA's flavor safety rules change from 1960 through the 1990s?

"The Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA) has evaluated substances for GRAS status under their conditions of intended use as flavoring substances since the early 1960s."

"This list of substances will appear in the 32nd publication authored by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association on recent progress in the consideration of flavoring ingredients “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS)"

"The Expert Panel also publishes separate extensive reviews of scientific information on all FEMA GRAS flavoring substances in the peer-reviewed scientific literature on the safety of structurally-related groups of flavoring substances."

"Based on this lack of evidence, the Panel concluded that both should be removed from the FEMA GRAS list."

"We’ll also examine the value of transparent scientific reviews, and the process for re-evaluation as new information emerges. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the science-based methodology behind FEMA GRAS determinations—and how this process supports both innovation and consumer protection in the flavor industry."

"In 2015, the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) initiated a program for the re-evaluation of the safety of over 250 natural flavor complexes (NFCs) used as flavor ingredients."

"The re-evaluation of NFCs is conducted based on a constituent-based procedure outlined in 2005 and updated in 2018 that evaluates the safety of NFCs for their intended use as flavor ingredients."

"In 1960, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) Expert Panel began a program to assess the safety of flavor ingredients for their intended use in human food."

"In 2015, the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) initiated a re-evaluation of the safety of over 250 natural flavor complexes (NFCs) used as flavor ingredients."

"The procedure relies on a complete chemical characterization of the NFC intended for commerce and organization of each NFC's chemical constituents into well-defined congeneric groups."

"The Expert Panel has a long history of publishing the criteria used in their safety assessments of flavoring substances for food (Smith et al. 2005a; Smith et al. 2005b; Cohen et al. 2018a)."

"The FEMA Expert Panel affirmed the GRAS status of Peppermint Oil (FEMA 2848), Spearmint Oil (FEMA 3032), Spearmint Extract (FEMA 3031), Cornmint Oil (FEMA 4219), Erospicata Oil (FEMA 4777), Curly Mint Oil (FEMA 4778), Pennyroyal Oil (FEMA 2839), Buchu Leaves Oil (FEMA 2169), Caraway Oil (FEMA 2238) and Dill Oil (FEMA 2383) and determined FEMA GRAS status for Buchu Leaves Extract (FEMA 4923), Peppe"

"The safety of the NFC is evaluated using the well-established and conservative threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) concept in addition to data on absorption, metabolism and toxicology of members of the congeneric groups and the NFC under evaluation."

"Recently, the Panel has seen an increase in complex mixtures or natural flavoring complex applications and has reviewed its criteria regarding botanical species verification."

"Six NFCs from the Myroxylon and Cinnamomum genera, Balsam Oil, Peru (FEMA 2117), Tolu Balsam Extract (FEMA 3069), Cassia Bark Extract (FEMA 2257), Cassia Bark Oil (FEMA 2258), Cinnamon Bark Extract (FEMA 2290) and Cinnamon Bark Oil (FEMA 2291) were evaluated and affirmed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) under their conditions of intended use as flavor ingredients."

"In 2018, the FEMA Expert Panel published an update to its approach to the safety evaluation of natural flavor complexes (NFCs)"

"the Panel has concluded that the information produced from currently available in silico tools cannot be used as a substitute for in vitro and in vivo metabolic and toxicological information within the context of FEMA GRAS applications."