Search results for: bht

  •  On July 26, 2021, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) announced the introduction of the Food Chemical Reassessment Act of 2021 (FCRA, H.R. 4694).  The FCRA, co-sponsored by Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Tony Cárdenas (D-CA29), would create a new Office of Food Safety Reassessment in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study at least ten chemicals every three years and reevaluate their safety for use in food.  The new legislation would also reestablish the Food Advisory Committee, a panel of experts to advise FDA on emerging food and cosmetic safety, food science, nutrition, and other food-related health issues.
  • The FCRA, which is endorsed by several environmental and consumer groups, identifies the first set of 10 currently used substances that FDA would be required to reassess as follows:
    • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
    • Ortho-phthalates
    • Tert-butylhydroquinone
    • Titanium dioxide
    • Potassium bromate
    • Perchlorate
    • Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
    • Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
    • Brominated vegetable oil (BVO)
    • Propyl paraben
  • According to Congresswoman Schakowsky, these chemicals were either never reviewed by FDA or were reviewed decades ago.  Schakowsky and Cárdenas are both members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which will consider H.R. 4694 before it may possibly move forward.  Potential funding is not clear for the new Office of Food Safety Reassessment or the Food Advisory Committee, which was terminated by FDA on December 12, 2017 as a cost saving measure.
  • Avocados are trending.  From avocado oil and avocado ice cream to avocado toast and guacamole, avocado consumption in the U.S. is at an all time high.  Food Dive reports that the average weekly U.S. avocado consumption of 42 million pounds has nearly doubled in the past three years and is projected to hit 50 million pounds per week in 2019.
  • According to research from Tufts University published in the journal Nutrients in August, eating one fresh avocado daily for six months improved working memory and problem-solving skills in 40 healthy adults aged 50 and older.
  • Another recent study, reported by Ingredients Network, found that avocado seed husks – which are typically tossed out with the seed – contain chemical compounds with potential value in medical and industrial applications. For example, the researchers identified chemical compounds in the avocado seed husk oil that could potentially be employed in anti-viral medications and tumor cell inhibitors. In the wax, the researchers detected a plasticizer that promotes flexibility in synthetic products including shower curtains and medical devices, a cosmetic chemical, and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT).
  • These recent studies are likely to further enhance avocado’s well-established nutritional reputation and popularity among American consumers.