Frequently Asked Questions about the Food Chemicals Codex

What is the Food Chemicals Codex?

The Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) plays a key role in safeguarding public health and industry integrity. FCC is a compendium that establishes, with public and stakeholder guidance, internationally recognized scientific standards for identity and purity of food ingredients and supporting test procedures. It allows manufacturers of food, food chemicals, and food ingredients to comply with standards that have been created and vetted by a highly rigorous and transparent scientific process. A new edition of the FCC will be released every two years, with supplements published between each edition.

Why is FCC important?

FCC standards have become recognized internationally by regulatory agencies, manufacturers, vendors, and users of food ingredients. Its specifications serve widely as the basis for contractual agreements. In some countries they may serve as a legal requirement for manufacturing or importing a food ingredient, while in others they may help a manufacturer to demonstrate self–regulation.

FCC is a proven tool in establishing and managing quality and purity–key elements in facilitating vendor and customer relationships. The use of objective, evidence–based, and regularly updated standards for purity and identity allows manufacturers to help safeguard both public health and their own reputations.

What is USP's role in FCC?

FCC was published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) from 1966 until 2006. In August 2006, publication of the FCC was assumed by USP. As the official standards–setting body for pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical ingredients, and dietary supplements, USP is ideally suited to ensure an orderly, timely, and transparent scientific process for food ingredient standards as well. USP's well–established revision structure facilitates appropriate stakeholder participation and input, while ensuring the integrity and objectivity of the standards–setting processes.

USP's nearly 200–year history and reputation and independence will assure continuity of the FCC. USP has instituted a biennial cycle for new editions of the FCC, with Supplements in the interim years. This is important because food scientists will have full and regular access to both the latest science and the revision process. There will also be an online public notice and comment process for proposed revisions called the FCC Forum

What is the FCC Forum?

The FCC Forum provides an opportunity for users to review and comment on proposed changes to the FCC. Changes and additions to the FCC generally are first proposed in the FCC Forum to invite public comment. The online FCC Forum also includes information about submitting comments and providing input.

The FCC Forum is the key element in ensuring open and public participation to add new content and revisions to the FCC. The FCC Forum is free and open to everyone. The comments and feedback from FCC subscribers and other interested parties in industry, academia, and elsewhere are critical to the transparent, open, and scientifically rigorous process which culminates in the final approval by a group of independent, established scientific experts.

The FCC Forum is a twice-a-year event: going live June 30th and December 31st. Both FCC Forums have 90-day comment periods.

Interested parties (FCC subscribers, industry, academia, and others) can go to http://forum.foodchemicalscodex.org to participate.

Is a subscription required to access the FCC Forum Online?

No. Any interested party can access the FCC Forum online and comment on a proposal at no charge.

What are the Effective Dates for FCC and FCC First Supplement?

As specified in the Preface to the Sixth Edition of FCC, the Sixth Edition is effective upon publication, unless otherwise specified in a specific monograph or method. The publication date of the Sixth Edition was February 29, 2008, and the text is effective as of that date.

The First Supplement to the FCC, Sixth Edition, publishes in February 2009 and its effective date is May 28, 2009.

What is New in the Sixth Edition?

Carrying on the history and tradition of IOM, USP has continued with dynamic changes in the Sixth Edition:

  • Revised and updated text
    • Over 1,000 monographs are redesigned and for ease of use
    • Flavor chemicals are now in the monograph format
    • Infrared spectra are included within their monographs
    • Over 150 general tests and assays included
  • New online format available
  • New public review and revision process
  • New, more frequent, biennial publication cycle
    • Now sold as a subscription, FCC Sixth Edition includes the new edition and supplements

How can I learn more about FCC?

FCC Webinar Series–Four web–based seminars developed and delivered by USP experts. Each Webinar runs approximately 90 minutes.

Web-Based Information

FCC Notices: Important notices, posted online, regarding compendial standards, upcoming revisions, timelines, and more.

FCC e-newsletter: Sign up to receive the latest USP news via email on food ingredient standards.

Where can I obtain information about purchasing the Food Chemicals Codex?

Please contact at or visit http://www.usp.org/products/FCC/.