ingredient

Codex Alimentarius, or “Food Code,” is a global food standards programme created by the United Nations (UN) and operates under the auspices of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It provides countries with a set of global food standards, guidelines and codes of practice should they choose to use them, to ensure food is safe and promote fair trade. The food standards, guidelines and codes of practice are informed by scientific assessments from the Joint (FAO/WHO) Expert bodies such as the Joint (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Learn more about <a href="https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Codex Alimentarius</a>.

Codex Alimentarius

The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union (EU). It proposes and administrates laws, including those that set food safety rules across EU countries. It works with experts and agencies to help keep food safe for people in Europe.

European Commission

Health Canada is the Department of the Canadian government that reviews scientific evidence to make sure food, drugs and other products are safe. The Department sets rules for food and other consumer products to protect the health of people living in Canada. Learn more about <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Health Canada</a>.

Health Canada

JECFA is an international scientific committee that evaluates the safety of food additives used around the world and is run by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO).

JECFA

The FAO is a United Nations agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Its goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives.

The WHO is a United Nations agency dedicated to improving global health and safety. One part of its mission is to provide scientific guidance on food and nutrition.
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EFSA is the European Union’s agency that provides impartial scientific advice to regulators to inform European regulations and protect consumers from risks in the food chain. EFSA evaluates the safety of food ingredients including additives, vitamins, minerals and other substances to underpin decisions on the authorization of such ingredients. Learn more about <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/about/about-efsa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EFSA</a>.

EFSA

The FDA is the federal agency that promotes and protects public health by overseeing in part food safety, approving food additives and ensuring food products are safe and properly labeled. Learn more about <a href="https://www.fda.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FDA</a>.

<a href="/ingredients/">Browse Index →</a><a href="/faqs/">FAQs →</a><a href="/glossary/">Glossary →</a>

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American Beverage, the trade association representing America’s non-alcoholic beverage industry, is making it easier to find the science-based safety assessments behind every labeled ingredient in your favorite beverages sold in America. <a href="https://www.americanbeverage.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn More →</a>

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“GRAS FDA-Notified&#8221; refers to FDA being notified of and issuing a “no objection” letter in response to a GRAS notice prepared by qualified scientific experts that shows a food ingredient is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for its intended uses.

GRAS FDA-Notified

“GRAS Self-Determined” refers to a determination by qualified scientific experts that an ingredient is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for its intended uses based on available scientific evidence, yet this determination is not provided to the FDA.

GRAS Self-Determined

U.S. Food And Drug Administration (FDA)

In <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/135943/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020</a> and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/167303/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023</a>, FDA had no objections for Agave mixed fructans from Agave tequilana as GRAS for intended uses.

The European Commission considers syrup from Agave tequilana F.A.C.Weber not to be novel in foods and authorized for use generally.
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In <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7074" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022</a>, EFSA considered a tolerable upper intake of dietary sugars, concluding “[t]he intake of added and free sugars should be as low as possible in the context of a nutritionally adequate diet.”

Agave syrup can be considered as a sweetener other than table sugar.
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A <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.e7492" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2013</a> WHO-commissioned Cochrane review concluded, “The change in body fatness that occurs with modifying intakes (of free sugars) seems to be mediated via changes in energy intakes.” This review informed the WHO <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2015</a> guidelines.

Use as a conventional food ingredient.

Agave Syrup

Found In

Also Known As

The Beverage Bottom Line

International Assessments and Authorizations

U.S. Food And Drug Administration (FDA)

European Commission

Codex Alimentarius

Health Canada