Should the government reassess the GRAS status of sucrose and high fructose corn syrup in beverages?
If the FDA has finally come out and (tentatively) said that PHOs are not GRAS, what about sugary drinks?
The CSPI recently upped the ante in its crusade against the latter (which it describes as “ruthlessly efficient bioweapons”) with a petition calling on the FDA to reassess the GRAS status of sucrose and high fructose corn syrup in beverages.
To protect consumers, the FDA should determine the level of added sugars that is safe for use in beverages, and require those limits to be phased in over several years, says the CSPI, which says soda makers should gradually reformulate beverages with natural high intensity sweeteners such as stevia.
While it does not propose a specific safe level, the petition notes that several health agencies identified two-and-a-half teaspoons (10 grams) as a “reasonable limit”.
It also calls on the agency to list ‘added sugars’ with an accompanying daily value (DV)on the Nutrition Facts panel; set targets for added sugars in a range of other foods; conduct an education campaign to encourage consumers to consume less added sugar; and encourage limits on the sale of large sugary beverages in restaurants and vending machines.
The FDA has yet to comment on the petition (beyond a formal recognition that it has been received), so expect more pressure from the CSPI in 2014…