Beyond the Acronym: Unpacking the Science of FEMA GRAS
Monday, October 20th | 3:00PM – 4:30PM
The FEMA GRAS program has served as the cornerstone of flavor ingredient safety evaluation for more than six decades. In this session, we’ll introduce the program’s scientific underpinnings, including how the FEMA Expert Panel assesses safety data, the types of studies and endpoints that are considered, and how evolutions in toxicology and exposure science inform their decisions. We’ll also examine the value of transparent scientific reviews, and the process for re-evaluation as new information emerges. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the science-based methodology behind FEMA GRAS determinations—and how this process supports both innovation and consumer protection in the flavor industry.
Session Speaker
Sean Taylor
Scientific Director, International Organization of the Flavor Industry
Sean V. Taylor, PhD, is the Scientific Director of the International Organization of the Flavor Industry and the Scientific Secretary to the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association. Dr. Taylor received a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Penn State University in 1992, a Master’s degree from Cornell University in 1995, and a PhD in Chemistry from Cornell in 1998. From 1998-2002, he carried out postdoctoral research in protein engineering, directed evolution, and natural product biosynthetic pathways at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, Switzerland. Dr. Taylor was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at The Ohio State University from 2002 to 2005 before beginning his work with the flavor industry, initially as the Assistant Scientific Director for the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association. In 2012 he was named the Scientific Director for FEMA, as well as the Scientific Secretary to the FEMA Expert Panel. In 2013, he assumed the role of Scientific Director for the International Organization of the Flavor Industry while continuing his role as Scientific Secretary to the FEMA Expert Panel.