The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized its updated process for postmarket assessment of chemicals in food, establishing a new framework and prioritization tool that will help the agency identify substances for future review. 

The framework is intended to create a more systematic and transparent approach to evaluating food chemicals by monitoring potential hazards, use and exposure signals tied to substances in the food supply. The prioritization tool will help determine which chemicals move forward for assessment, including chemical residues, processing aids and ingredients that may be used in fresh produce production or processing.  

The agency also indicated the framework will include annual workplans identifying chemicals selected for review, though the number of assessments completed will depend on available agency resources. 

Learn more here.