FDA Home Page |
CFSAN Home | Search/Subject Index | Q & A | Help
CFSAN/Office of Food Additive Safety
October 2006
Select Committee on GRAS Substances (SCOGS) Database Overview
- This database allows access to opinions and conclusions from 115 SCOGS reports published
between 1972-1980 on the safety of over 370 Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)
food substances. The GRAS ingredient reviews were conducted by
the Select Committee in response to a 1969 White House directive by
President Richard M. Nixon (see History of GRAS and SCOGS).
- The SCOGS database allows
users to search for the SCOGS opinion and conclusion, and includes the United
States Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR) citation for those GRAS food substances
that have been codified in the CFR. Many of the SCOGS reports reviewed more
than one GRAS substance and each substance was evaluated and assigned its own
individual type of conclusion on safety; Type 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, as shown in the table
below.
- The SCOGS conclusions were made by scientific experts outside of FDA. The complete background of the Select Committee is described in the History of GRAS and SCOGS.
|
TYPE OF
CONCLUSION |
DEFINITION |
|
1 |
There is no
evidence in the available information on [substance] that demonstrates, or
suggests reasonable grounds to suspect, a hazard to the public when they are
used at levels that are now current or might reasonably be expected in the
future. |
|
2 |
There is no
evidence in the available information on [substance] that demonstrates a
hazard to the public when it is used at levels that are now current and in
the manner now practiced. However, it is not possible to determine, without
additional data, whether a significant increase in consumption would
constitute a dietary hazard. |
|
3 |
While no
evidence in the available information on [substance] demonstrates a hazard to
the public when it is used at levels that are now current and in the manner
now practiced, uncertainties existrequiring
that additional studies be conducted. |
|
4 |
The evidence
on [substance] is insufficient to determine that the adverse effects reported
are not deleterious to the public health should it be used at former levels
and in the manner formerly practiced. |
|
5 |
In view of
the almost complete lack of biological studies, the Select Committee has
insufficient data upon which to evaluate the safety of [substance] as a
[intended use]. |
Complete reports containing
details of the safety studies that formed the basis of the opinions and
conclusions and are available from the National Technical Information
Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161 (703)
605-6000.
Additional Contact
Information
