03.02.10
The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has released the seventh edition of the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), which features new and updated quality standards, validated analytical methods and industry guidance documents for ingredients used in functional foods and a host of other food products. The latest FCC edition includes standards covering quality and purity for 1100 food ingredients. These standards include the ingredient's chemical formula, structure and weight; function and definition; impurity limits; and packaging, storage and labeling information. In addition, FCC Seventh Edition includes validated methods in 11 appendices with step-by-step guidance to analyze food ingredients and demonstrate their authenticity, quality and purity. These appendices cover Enzyme Assays, Essential Oils and Flavors, Fats and Related Substances, Carbohydrates, and Flavor Chemicals, among others. New to the seventh edition is a comprehensive section featuring additional information and industry guidance such as good manufacturing practices (GMP) guidelines for food chemicals; a comparison of GMP elements for foods and drugs; and AOAC International/International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) guidelines on method validation. For further information: www.usp.org
