Today, the North American Millers’ Association (NAMA) submitted comments to FDA opposing a citizen petition to revoke the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) approval for “processed refined carbohydrates” including refined flour.
NAMA is very concerned about the broad implications of the petition. Revoking the GRAS status of flour and other common food ingredients would result in the arbitrary and unnecessary removal from the marketplace of safe, nutritious, and delicious grain foods that Americans have relied on for generations. The scientific consensus does not support this approach.
Most refined grain foods are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals. They serve as important sources of critical nutrients, especially for pregnant women and children. Further, enriched and fortified refined grain foods are key sources of dietary fiber. Categorizing grain foods as “ultra-processed” and restricting them from diets could have a negative impact on public health by making it harder for people to get nutrients they are already under-consuming.
In the comments, NAMA outlines key concerns with the petition, including:
- The petition arbitrarily focuses on commercial food processing and excludes sugar, flour, and starches used in home kitchens. However, there is no difference chemically between sugars, flours, and starches used in commercial food processing and those used at home.
- There is extensive evidence supporting the role of refined carbohydrates in improving nutrient intake and contributing to a healthy dietary pattern.
- The petition references FDA’s revocation of GRAS status for partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) to suggest a similar lack of scientific consensus exists about flour, a false and misleading comparison.
- The result of applying the petition’s approach would upend the current systematic evaluation of the safety of food ingredients and additives, resulting in the rapid removal of significant components of the food supply.
Click here to read the full comments. NAMA supports strong, science-based regulation of food products and nutrition policy and will continue to engage with FDA in support of science- and risk-based decision making.
About NAMA:
NAMA is the only national trade association that exclusively represents the interests of the North American wheat, corn, oat, and rye milling industry before Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory bodies. Member companies operate mills in 30+ states, Puerto Rico, and Canada, representing more than 90 percent of total industry production capacity.