8th edition of Food Chemicals Codex

The 8th edition of the Food Chemical Codex (FCC) includes specifications for the identity, quality and purity of more than 1100 food ingredients, test methods to verify specifications, and guidance on issues such as impurities testing for metals.

The FCC is a compendium of internationally recognised standards for the authenticity of a variety of ingredients. It provides a combination of specifications for the authenticity and quality of each ingredient and test methods to verify these specifications, as well as reference materials suitable to confirm that the test methods are executed appropriately and measurement results therefore can be trusted.

The FCC provides more than 1100 monographs, which include chemical formula and structure, chemical weight, function, definition, packaging and storage, labelling requirements and test procedures. Fourteen appendices detail more than 150 tests and assays, with step-by-step guidance for the analysis of enzymes, impurities such as metals and pesticides and markers for authenticity testing, among others.

The FCC also contains general information, including relevant information on a variety of topics including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Guidelines for Food Chemicals, a compare-and-contrast table of food and drug GMPs, AOAC ISO and IUPAC method validation guidelines and helpful introductions into a variety of different analytical test methods.

The codex includes the complete contents of USP’s upcoming Food Fraud Database, which features more than 1300 entries on adulterants reported for specific ingredients and the corresponding analytical detection method. It can be a useful risk management tool for industry, regulators and other stakeholders.

FCC is available in two-year print and online subscriptions. A subscription includes the main edition and three update supplements.