08.01.19
Responding to a color additive petition submitted by Impossible Foods, Inc., last November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the color additive regulations to provide for the safe use of soy leghemoglobin as a color additive in ground beef analogue products like “veggie” burgers.
FDA reviewed information and data submitted by the firm, as well as other relevant information, and concluded that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm from this use of soy leghemoglobin as a color additive.
According to Impossible Foods’ website: “Soy leghemoglobin is short for legume hemoglobin— the hemoglobin found in soy, a leguminous plant. Leghemoglobin is a protein found in plants that carries heme, an iron-containing molecule that is essential for life. Heme is found in every living being — both plants and animals. (Heme in animals is carried by ‘hemoglobin’ and ‘myoglobin’ among other proteins.)
“Although heme has been consumed every day for hundreds of thousands of years, Impossible Foods discovered that it’s what makes meat taste like meat. We make the Impossible Burger using heme from soy plants — identical to the heme from animals — which is what gives it its uniquely meaty flavor.”
Upon publication of FDA’s final rule, the color additive petition process allows for a 30-day period to file objections by any person adversely affected. All objections must include the Docket No. FDA–2018–C–4464 for “Listing of Color Additives Exempt from Certification; Soy leghemoglobin.”
To submit objections electronically, follow the instructions on https://www.regulations.gov.
FDA reviewed information and data submitted by the firm, as well as other relevant information, and concluded that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm from this use of soy leghemoglobin as a color additive.
According to Impossible Foods’ website: “Soy leghemoglobin is short for legume hemoglobin— the hemoglobin found in soy, a leguminous plant. Leghemoglobin is a protein found in plants that carries heme, an iron-containing molecule that is essential for life. Heme is found in every living being — both plants and animals. (Heme in animals is carried by ‘hemoglobin’ and ‘myoglobin’ among other proteins.)
“Although heme has been consumed every day for hundreds of thousands of years, Impossible Foods discovered that it’s what makes meat taste like meat. We make the Impossible Burger using heme from soy plants — identical to the heme from animals — which is what gives it its uniquely meaty flavor.”
Upon publication of FDA’s final rule, the color additive petition process allows for a 30-day period to file objections by any person adversely affected. All objections must include the Docket No. FDA–2018–C–4464 for “Listing of Color Additives Exempt from Certification; Soy leghemoglobin.”
To submit objections electronically, follow the instructions on https://www.regulations.gov.
