News

24 Jun

Carrageenan: Facts, Myths, Safety & Toothpaste

The Honest Company recently launched its new Honest Toothpaste and Honest Kid’s Toothpaste and has gotten a number of questions about its decision to use carrageenan. Why? Because various sites claim it causes cancer. The source of confusion and misinformation regarding carrageenan stems from people not knowing that there are two different types that result from different ways of processing the polysaccharides that are extracted from seaweed.

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05 Jun

IDFA Supports Proposed Rule on National List for Organic Foods

In comments submitted last Friday, IDFA supported the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposed rule to relist four ingredients, commonly used in dairy products, on the list of allowable substances in organic foods. The ingredients are agar, carrageenan, cellulose and animal enzymes, including rennet used to make cheese.

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23 May

Public Health Defenders Side with Science and Support Carrageenan

The United States supports one of the safest food supplies in the World. I would state “the safest”, but it’s hard to prove. What is easy to prove is the rigor of regulatory review in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) that ensures foods and food ingredients are safe as consumed, are not adulterated, and are correctly labeled.

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23 May

USDA is Right on Carrageenan

Kudos to Secretary Vilsack and USDA for basing their regulatory decisions on sound science. Another recent example is the Proposed Rule published on May 3rd that would re-list carrageenan as appropriate for use in organic food products.

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20 May

USDA Lets the Science Speak to Dictate Regulatory Direction

It is easy for public health officials to err on the side of caution. Look no further than the European Union to find examples of application for the “Precautionary Principle”. With all due respect to our European friends and colleagues, the Precautionary Principle translates into poor policy – regulation driven by consumer perception and fears with science hidden in the closet.

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14 May

Let’s Be Clear On Carrageenan

Take a deep dive into the scientific papers and articles on carrageenan and you’ll find the key issues that add clarity to the discussion – but it takes a deeper dive and an open mind to get to the heart of the issues.

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10 May

Seaweed Farming: Bringing Sustainability to Coastal Environments and Communities

Coastal communities in developing countries face numerous challenges. Rising populations continue to put more pressure on coastal ecosystems, leading to decreased fish stocks, habitat destruction and pollution. Lack of access to quality education makes it difficult for the children of these communities to pursue more lucrative, non-traditional jobs in growing sectors of the economy.

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