“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. This term applies to all of the long, mostly unrecognizable chemical ingredients on our processed cakes, cookies, frozen pizzas or snack food and fast foods. All of those ingredients making up that processed food item must get GRAS approval before they are allowed to be sold by the FDA. Specifically:
Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.
Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Act, and FDA’s implementing regulations in 21 CFR 170.3 and 21 CFR 170.30, the use of a food substance may be GRAS either through scientific procedures or, for a substance used in food before 1958, through experience based on common use in food.
- Under 21 CFR 170.30(b), general recognition of safety through scientific procedures requires the same quantity and quality of scientific evidence as is required to obtain approval of the substance as a food additive and ordinarily is based upon published studies, which may be corroborated by unpublished studies and other data and information.
- Under 21 CFR 170.30(c) and 170.3(f), general recognition of safety through experience based on common use in foods requires a substantial history of consumption for food use by a significant number of consumers.
Now, quite obviously this acronym has never needed to be applied to the following examples of naturally raised foods: an apple, a steak, pork loin, chicken breast, an egg, oyster, a pineapple, tea leaves, coffee beans, brussel sprouts, berries, spices, a lobster, almonds, pistachio nuts, venison, celery, rutabaga, rhubarb, tuna, watermelon, cantaloupe, lemon, lime, Kiwi, lettuce, brisket, onion, a pineapple, carrot, avocado, lamb, grapes, etc.
The idea of applying GRAS to these or any other highly nutritious and natural foods would be totally absurd. Almost (but not quite) as absurd as actually eating the processed, crappy, industrial foods that comprise most of our modern diet and that continually require GRAS certification for their ingredients.