Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Calcium Carbonate, 51554-51558 [2017-24194]
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BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Part 73
[Docket No. FDA–2016–C–2767]
Listing of Color Additives Exempt
From Certification; Calcium Carbonate
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
ACTION:
Final rule.
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA or we) is
amending the color additive regulations
to provide for the safe use of calcium
carbonate to color hard and soft candy,
mints, and chewing gum. We are taking
this action in response to a color
additive petition submitted by the Wm.
Wrigley Jr. Company.
DATES: This rule is effective December 8,
2017. See section X for further
information on the filing of objections.
Submit either electronic or written
objections and requests for a hearing on
the final rule by December 7, 2017. The
incorporation by reference of certain
publications listed in the rule is
approved by the Director of the Federal
Register as of December 7, 2017.
ADDRESSES: You may submit objections
and requests for a hearing as follows.
Please note that late, untimely filed
objections will not be considered.
Electronic objections must be submitted
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SUMMARY:
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on or before December 7, 2017. The
https://www.regulations.gov electronic
filing system will accept comments
until midnight Eastern Time at the end
of December 7, 2017. Objections
received by mail/hand delivery/courier
(for written/paper submissions) will be
considered timely if they are
postmarked or the delivery service
acceptance receipt is on or before that
date.
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic objections in the
following way:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Objections submitted electronically,
including attachments, to https://
www.regulations.gov will be posted to
the docket unchanged. Because your
objection will be made public, you are
solely responsible for ensuring that your
objection does not include any
confidential information that you or a
third party may not wish to be posted,
such as medical information, your or
anyone else’s Social Security number, or
confidential business information, such
as a manufacturing process. Please note
that if you include your name, contact
information, or other information that
identifies you in the body of your
objection, that information will be
posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
• If you want to submit an objection
with confidential information that you
do not wish to be made available to the
public, submit the objection as a
written/paper submission and in the
manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper
Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’).
Written Paper Submissions
Submit written/paper submissions as
follows:
• Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for
written/paper submissions): Dockets
Management Staff (HFA–305), Food and
Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers
Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
• For written/paper objections
submitted to the Dockets Management
Staff, FDA will post your objection, as
well as any attachments, except for
information submitted, marked and
identified, as confidential, if submitted
as detailed in ‘‘Instructions.’’
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the Docket No. FDA–
2016–C–2767 for ‘‘Listing of Color
Additives Exempt from Certification;
Calcium Carbonate.’’ Received
objections, those filed in a timely
manner (see ADDRESSES), will be placed
in the docket and, except for those
submitted as ‘‘Confidential
Submissions,’’ publicly viewable at
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https://www.regulations.gov or with the
Dockets Management Staff between 9
a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
• Confidential Submissions—To
submit an objection with confidential
information that you do not wish to be
made publicly available, submit your
objections only as a written/paper
submission. You should submit two
copies total. One copy will include the
information you claim to be confidential
with a heading or cover note that states
‘‘THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.’’ We
will review this copy, including the
claimed confidential information, in our
consideration of comments. The second
copy, which will have the claimed
confidential information redacted/
blacked out, will be available for public
viewing and posted on https://
www.regulations.gov. Submit both
copies to the Dockets Management Staff.
If you do not wish your name and
contact information to be made publicly
available, you can provide this
information on the cover sheet and not
in the body of your comments and you
must identify this information as
‘‘confidential.’’ Any information marked
as ‘‘confidential’’ will not be disclosed
except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20
and other applicable disclosure law. For
more information about FDA’s posting
of comments to public dockets, see 80
FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access
the information at: https://www.gpo.gov/
fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/201523389.pdf.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or the
electronic and written/paper comments
received, go to https://
www.regulations.gov and insert the
docket number, found in brackets in the
heading of this document, into the
‘‘Search’’ box and follow the prompts
and/or go to the Dockets Management
Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061,
Rockville, MD 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Judith Kidwell, Center for Food Safety
and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) (HFS–
265), Food and Drug Administration,
5001 Campus Dr., College Park, MD
20740–3835, 240–402–1071.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
In the Federal Register on October 7,
2016 (81 FR 69740), we announced that
we filed a color additive petition (CAP
6C0307) submitted by Wm. Wrigley Jr.
Company (petitioner), c/o Exponent,
1150 Connecticut Ave. NW., Suite 1100,
Washington, DC 20036. The petition
proposed to amend the color additive
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regulations in part 73 (21 CFR part 73)
Listing of Color Additives Exempt from
Certification to provide for the safe use
of calcium carbonate to color hard and
soft candy, mints, and chewing gum.
The proposed use excludes chocolate or
the chocolate portion of candy, as the
current standards of identity for
chocolate do not allow for the addition
of color additives (see 21 CFR 163.123,
163.124, 163.130, 163.135, 163.140,
163.145, 163.153, 163.155). After the
petition was filed, the petitioner
clarified that calcium carbonate is
intended for use only in ink applied to
the surface of the chewing gum.
II. Background
Calcium carbonate is obtained from
ground limestone or produced
synthetically through a precipitation
process using calcium oxide, water, and
carbon dioxide. Calcium is abundant in
the human body and is an integral
component of bones, teeth, and other
biological structures. Calcium
constantly diffuses in and out of the
bone and is resorbed by the kidney.
Excess intake of calcium may result in
hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria,
gastrointestinal issues, kidney stones,
interference with iron and zinc
absorption, possible vascular and soft
tissue calcification, and renal and
cardiovascular damage. Carbonate is
present in the human body as a critical
component of the pH buffering system.
The components of carbonate (carbon
and oxygen) are ubiquitous in the
human diet and body, and carbonate
itself does not belong to a class of
structures that is associated with any
adverse effects or toxicity.
Calcium carbonate that is
pharmaceutical grade is currently
approved under § 73.1070 for use as a
color additive in drugs in amounts
consistent with good manufacturing
practices (GMP). Additionally, food
grade calcium carbonate and ground
limestone (consisting of not less than 94
percent calcium carbonate) are affirmed
as generally recognized as safe in
§ 184.1191 and § 184.1409 (21 CFR
184.1191 and 184.1409), respectively.
These regulations do not include
limitations for use in food other than
current GMP. The petitioner proposed
that to ensure that only food grade
calcium carbonate is used to color hard
and soft candy, mints, and chewing
gum, the substance must meet the
specifications of the Food Chemicals
Codex, 10th edition (FCC 10). We have
reviewed these specifications and agree
that they should be incorporated into
the regulation as set forth in this
document. The petitioner proposed to
use calcium carbonate to color soft and
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hard candy, mints, and chewing gum in
amounts consistent with GMP. The
maximum GMP use level for calcium
carbonate in hard and soft candy, mints,
and chewing gum will be determined by
the desired coloring effect. We have
determined that the amount of calcium
carbonate used in these foods is selflimiting because the addition of the
color additive above a certain level will
not achieve the desired coloring effect
and negatively interferes with
organoleptic properties, such as taste
and texture. Because the amount of the
color additive used in these foods is
self-limiting, we have determined that
there is no need for a specific upper
limit on the percent by weight of
calcium carbonate in hard and soft
candy, mints, and chewing gum (Ref. 1).
III. Safety Evaluation
Under section 721(b)(4) of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the
FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 379e(b)(4)), a color
additive cannot be listed for a particular
use unless the data and information
available to FDA establish that the color
additive is safe for that use.
Furthermore, under section 721(b)(4) of
the FD&C Act, a color additive is
deemed to be suitable and safe for the
purpose of listing for use generally in or
on food, while there is in effect a
published finding declaring such
substance exempt from the term ‘‘food
additive’’ because of its being generally
recognized by qualified experts as safe
for its intended use, as provided in
section 201(s) of the FD&C Act (21
U.S.C. 321(s)). FDA’s color additive
regulations in 21 CFR 70.3(i) define
‘‘safe’’ to mean that there is convincing
evidence that establishes with
reasonable certainty that no harm will
result from the intended use of the color
additive.
To establish with reasonable certainty
that a color additive intended for use in
foods is not harmful under its intended
conditions of use, we consider the
projected human dietary exposure to the
color additive, the additive’s
toxicological data, and other relevant
information (such as published
literature) available to us. We compare
an individual’s estimated exposure, or
estimated daily intake (EDI), of the color
additive from all food sources to an
acceptable daily intake level established
by toxicological data. The EDI is
determined by projections based on the
amount of the color additive proposed
for use in particular foods or drugs and
on data regarding the amount consumed
from all sources of the color additive.
We commonly use the EDI for the 90th
percentile consumer of a color additive
as a measure of high chronic exposure.
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A. Estimated Dietary Exposure
The petitioner indicated that, given
the types of candies to be colored and
the variable conditions under which
calcium carbonate would be used, the
use of the assumption that all candies
would contain calcium carbonate at the
maximum GMP level would lead to an
overestimate of exposure. However,
because only hard and soft candy,
mints, and chewing gum that are
colored white would result in a
potential exposure to calcium carbonate
from the proposed use, the petitioner
reviewed the 2009–2012 National
Health and Examination Survey
(NHANES) food codes and identified 51
food codes in which calcium carbonate
could potentially be used as a color
additive that represent the intended use
in hard and soft candy, mints, and
chewing gum. Although we identified
additional food codes that could contain
calcium carbonate, these codes were
intentionally excluded by the petitioner
because there were no associated eating
occasions for these additional food
codes over the survey years. We agree
with the selected 51 food codes and the
exclusion of the other food codes (Ref.
2). Furthermore, the petitioner used
market data to refine their exposure
estimate; however, these data were
limited to those products that were
introduced in the last 5 years and may
not fully represent the market.
Therefore, to be conservative, we
estimated exposure to calcium
carbonate using 2-day food
consumption data from the 2009–2012
NHANES for the identified 51 food
codes at the GMP use levels and made
no adjustment for market data. Exposure
to calcium carbonate and to calcium
was estimated for the U.S. population 2
years of age and older and children 2 to
5 years of age (Ref. 2).
For the U.S. population 2 years of age
and older, exposure estimates for
calcium carbonate at the mean and 90th
percentile from the proposed uses were
170 milligrams/person/day (mg/p/d)
and 400 mg/p/d, respectively. For
children 2 to 5 years of age, exposure
estimates for calcium carbonate at the
mean and 90th percentile were 125 mg/
p/d and 270 mg/p/d, respectively.
Calcium carbonate is a source of
calcium for the consumer once ingested
and metabolized by the body. Therefore,
as part of our evaluation, we also
estimated exposure to calcium from the
petitioned uses of calcium carbonate by
assuming that the amount of calcium
provided by calcium carbonate as a
color additive is 40 percent of the total
weight of calcium carbonate. For the
U.S. population 2 years of age and older,
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estimated exposure to calcium from the
proposed uses of calcium carbonate at
the mean and 90th percentile were 70
mg/p/d and 160 mg/p/d, respectively.
For children 2 to 5 years of age,
estimated exposure to calcium at the
mean and 90th percentile were 50 mg/
p/d and 110 mg/p/d, respectively.
Additionally, we estimated exposure
to calcium from background dietary
sources, drugs, and dietary supplements
using 2-day food consumption data for
all foods and nutrient data for calcium
in those foods based on the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s National
Nutrient Database for Standard
Reference. This estimate also included
exposure to calcium from dietary
supplements (including nonprescription antacids that contain
calcium) based on NHANES 2-day
survey data (Ref. 2).
For the U.S. population 2 years of age
and older, exposure to calcium from
background dietary sources, drugs, and
dietary supplements at the mean and
90th percentile were estimated to be
1,125 mg/p/d and 1,900 mg/p/d,
respectively. For children 2 to 5 years of
age, exposure estimates at the mean and
90th percentile were 1,000 mg/p/d and
1,600 mg/p/d, respectively. Because our
exposure estimates for dietary
supplements include calcium from all
sources, not just calcium carbonate, we
believe that this exposure estimate is
sufficiently conservative to include any
exposure to calcium from the use of
calcium carbonate to color drugs (Ref.
2).
We estimated exposure to calcium
from background dietary sources, drugs,
dietary supplements and the proposed
uses of calcium carbonate at the mean
and 90th percentile for the U.S.
population 2 years of age and older and
children 2 to 5 years of age. Based on
these calculations, exposure estimates
for calcium for the U.S. population 2
years of age and older at the mean and
90th percentile were 1,150 mg/p/d and
1,925 mg/p/d, respectively. For children
2 to 5 years of age, exposure estimates
for calcium at the mean and 90th
percentile were 1,025 mg/p/d and 1,625
mg/p/d, respectively (Ref. 2).
B. Safety of the Petitioned Uses of
Calcium Carbonate
To support the safety of the petitioned
use of calcium carbonate, the petitioner
referenced safety information on
calcium from the 2011 Institute of
Medicine (IOM) Report on Dietary
Reference Intakes for Calcium and
Vitamin D (Ref. 3) and the European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on
Dietetic Products, Nutrition and
Allergies’ reevaluation of the safety of
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calcium (Ref. 4). In 2011, the Standing
Committee on the Scientific Evaluation
of Dietary Reference Intakes of the Food
and Nutrition Board of the IOM
conducted an extensive review of
relevant published scientific literature
on calcium to update current dietary
reference intakes and Upper Tolerable
Intake Levels (UL). In their 2011
assessment of calcium, the IOM
established a UL of 1,000 mg/p/d for
infants 0 to 6 months of age and 1,500
mg/p/d for infants 6 to 12 months of
age. For children 1 to 8 years of age,
IOM did not change the UL of 2,500 mg/
p/d from the previous IOM report in
1997. For children 9 to 18 years of age,
IOM increased the UL to 3,000 mg/p/d.
For adults 19 to 50 years of age, the IOM
established a UL of 2,500 mg/p/d; for
adults 51 years and older, the IOM
established a UL of 2,000 mg/p/d.
The IOM considers the UL as the
highest average daily intake level of a
nutrient that poses no risk of adverse
effects when the nutrient is consumed
over long periods of time. The UL is
determined using a risk assessment
model developed specifically for
nutrients. The dose-response
assessment, which concludes with an
estimate of the UL, is built upon three
toxicological concepts commonly used
in assessing the risk of exposures to
chemical substances: No-observedadverse-effect level, lowest-observedeffect level, and application of an
uncertainty factor. We considered the
ULs established by the IOM relative to
the exposure estimates for calcium as
the primary basis for assessing the safety
of the petitioned uses of calcium
carbonate.
The estimated dietary exposure to
calcium from the petitioned uses,
dietary sources, and dietary
supplements at the 90th percentile for
the U.S. population 2 years of age and
older is estimated to be 1,925 mg/p/d,
which is below the IOM’s UL of 2,000–
3,000 mg/p/d. For children 2 to 5 years
of age, the exposure estimate at the 90th
percentile is 1,625 mg/p/d, which also
is below the IOM’s UL of 2,500 mg/p/
d for this age group. Additionally, the
body of literature on calcium carbonate
and calcium does not present evidence
of safety concerns at the expected
dietary exposures discussed above.
Thus, we conclude that the petitioned
use of calcium carbonate as a color
additive in soft and hard candy, mints,
and chewing gum is safe (Ref. 5).
IV. Incorporation by Reference
FDA is incorporating by reference the
Food Chemicals Codex, 10th ed. (2016),
pp. 213–214 (calcium carbonate) and p.
754 (limestone, ground), which was
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approved by the Office of the Federal
Register. You may purchase a copy of
the material from the United States
Pharmacopeial Convention, 12601
Twinbrook Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20852
(https://www.usp.org). Copies also may
be examined at FDA’s Main Library,
10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 2,
Third Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20993,
301–796–2039.
The FCC is a compendium of
internationally recognized standards for
the purity and identity of food
ingredients. To ensure that only food
grade calcium carbonate and ground
limestone (consisting of not less than 94
percent calcium carbonate) are used in
hard and soft candy, mints, and
chewing gum, the additive must meet
the specifications and identity in the
appropriate FCC monograph.
V. Conclusion
FDA reviewed the data and
information in the petition and other
available relevant material and
determined the use of calcium carbonate
to color hard and soft candy, mints, and
chewing gum at GMP levels is safe. We
further conclude that the additive will
achieve its intended technical effect and
is suitable for the petitioned uses. We
note that these uses do not extend to
chocolate or the chocolate portion of
candy because the standards of identity
for chocolate do not allow for the
addition of color additives (see 21 CFR
163.123, 163.124, 163.130, 163.135,
163.140, 163.145, 163.153, 163.155).
Based on the available information, we
are amending the color additive
regulations in part 73 as set forth in this
document. In addition, based on the
factors listed in 21 CFR 71.20(b), we
conclude that certification of calcium
carbonate to color hard and soft candy,
mints, and chewing gum is not
necessary for the protection of public
health (Ref. 1).
VI. Public Disclosure
In accordance with § 71.15 (21 CFR
71.15), the petition and the documents
that we considered and relied upon in
reaching our decision to approve the
petition will be made available for
public disclosure (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT). As provided in
§ 71.15, we will delete from the
documents any materials that are not
available for public disclosure.
VII. Analysis of Environmental Impact
We previously considered the
environmental effects of this rule, as
stated in the October 7, 2016, Federal
Register notice of petition for CAP
6C0307 (81 FR 69740). We stated that
we had determined, under 21 CFR
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25.32(k), that this action ‘‘is of a type
that does not individually or
cumulatively have a significant effect on
the human environment’’ such that
neither an environmental assessment
nor an environmental impact statement
is required. We have not received any
new information or comments that
would affect our previous
determination.
VIII. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
This final rule contains no collection
of information. Therefore, clearance by
the Office of Management and Budget
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 is not required.
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IX. Section 301(ll) of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act
Our review of this petition was
limited to section 721 of the FD&C Act.
This final rule is not a statement
regarding compliance with other
sections of the FD&C Act. For example,
section 301(ll) of the FD&C Act (21
U.S.C. 331(ll)) prohibits the
introduction or delivery for introduction
into interstate commerce of any food
that contains a drug approved under
section 505 of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C.
355), a biological product licensed
under section 351 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262), or a drug or
biological product for which substantial
clinical investigations have been
instituted and their existence has been
made public, unless one of the
exemptions in section 301(ll)(1) to (ll)(4)
of the FD&C Act applies. In our review
of this petition, we did not consider
whether section 301(ll) of the FD&C Act
or any of its exemptions apply to food
containing this color additive.
Accordingly, this final rule should not
be construed to be a statement that a
food containing this color additive, if
introduced or delivered for introduction
into interstate commerce, would not
violate section 301(ll) of the FD&C Act.
Furthermore, this language is included
in all color additive final rules that
pertain to food and therefore should not
be construed to be a statement of the
likelihood that section 301(ll) of the
FD&C Act applies.
X. Objections
This rule is effective as shown in the
DATES section, except as to any
provisions that may be stayed by the
filing of proper objections. If you will be
adversely affected by one or more
provisions of this regulation, you may
file with the Dockets Management Staff
(see ADDRESSES) either electronic or
written objections. You must separately
number each objection, and within each
numbered objection you must specify
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with particularity the provision(s) to
which you object, and the grounds for
your objection. Within each numbered
objection, you must specifically state
whether you are requesting a hearing on
the particular provision that you specify
in that numbered objection. If you do
not request a hearing for any particular
objection, you waive the right to a
hearing on that objection. If you request
a hearing, your objection must include
a detailed description and analysis of
the specific factual information you
intend to present in support of the
objection in the event that a hearing is
held. If you do not include such a
description and analysis for any
particular objection, you waive the right
to a hearing on the objection.
Any objections received in response
to the regulation may be seen at the
Dockets Management Staff between 9
a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, and will be posted to the docket
at https://www.regulations.gov. We will
publish notice of the objections that we
have received or lack thereof in the
Federal Register.
XI. References
The following references are on
display with the Dockets Management
Staff (see ADDRESSES) and are available
for viewing by interested persons
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday; they also are available
electronically at https://
www.regulations.gov. References that
are published articles and books are not
on display.
1. Memorandum from N. Hepp, Color
Technology Team, Office of Cosmetics
and Colors (OCAC), CFSAN, FDA to C.
Johnston, Division of Petition Review,
Office of Food Additive Safety (OFAS),
CFSAN, FDA, October 27, 2016.
2. Memorandum from D. Doell, Division of
Petition Review, OFAS, CFSAN, FDA to
J. Kidwell, Division of Petition Review,
OFAS, CFSAN, FDA, February 16, 2017.
3. Committee to Review Dietary Reference
Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium, Food
and Nutrition Board, Institute of
Medicine, ‘‘Dietary Reference Intakes for
Calcium and Vitamin D,’’ National
Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2011.
4. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
‘‘Scientific Opinion on the Tolerable
Upper Intake Level of Calcium.’’ EFSA
Journal, vol. 10(7), p. 2814, 2012.
5. Memorandum from T. Thurmond, Division
of Petition Review, OFAS, CFSAN, FDA
to J. Kidwell, Division of Petition
Review, OFAS, CFSAN, FDA, February
17, 2017.
List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 73
Color additives, Cosmetics, Drugs,
Incorporation by reference, Medical
devices.
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51557
Therefore, under the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act and under
authority delegated to the Commissioner
of Food and Drugs and redelegated to
the Director, Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition, 21 CFR part 73 is
amended as follows:
PART 73—LISTING OF COLOR
ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM
CERTIFICATION
1. The authority citation for part 73
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321, 341, 342, 343,
348, 351, 352, 355, 361, 362, 371, 379e.
2. Section 73.70 is added to subpart A
to read as follows:
■
§ 73.70
Calcium carbonate.
(a) Identity. (1) The color additive
calcium carbonate is a fine, white
powder consisting essentially of
calcium carbonate (CaCO3) prepared
either by grinding naturally occurring
limestone or synthetically, by
precipitation.
(2) Color additive mixtures for food
use made with calcium carbonate may
contain only those diluents that are
suitable and that are listed in this
subpart as safe for use in color additive
mixtures for coloring foods.
(b) Specifications. The color additive
meets the specifications of the Food
Chemicals Codex, 10th ed. (2016), pp.
213–214 (calcium carbonate) and p. 754
(limestone, ground), which is
incorporated by reference. The Director
of the Office of the Federal Register
approves this incorporation by reference
in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and
1 CFR part 51. You may obtain copies
from the United States Pharmacopeial
Convention, 12601 Twinbrook Pkwy.,
Rockville, MD 20852 (internet address
https://www.usp.org). Copies may be
examined at the Food and Drug
Administration’s Main Library, 10903
New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 2, Third
Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301–
796–2039, or at the National Archives
and Records Administration (NARA).
For information on the availability of
this material at NARA, call 202–741–
6030, or go to: https://www.archives.gov/
federal_register/code_of_federal_
regulations/cfr/ibr_locations.html.
(c) Uses and restrictions. Calcium
carbonate may be safely used in
amounts consistent with good
manufacturing practice to color soft and
hard candies and mints, and in inks
used on the surface of chewing gum,
except that it may not be used to color
chocolate for which standards of
identity have been promulgated under
section 401 of the Federal Food, Drug,
E:\FR\FM\07NOR1.SGM
07NOR1
51558
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 214 / Tuesday, November 7, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
and Cosmetic Act unless added color is
authorized by such standards.
(d) Labeling requirements. The label
of the color additive and of any
mixtures prepared therefrom intended
solely or in part for coloring purposes
must conform to the requirements of
§ 70.25 of this chapter.
(e) Exemption from certification.
Certification of this color additive is not
necessary for the protection of the
public health, and, therefore, batches
thereof are exempt from the certification
requirements of section 721(c) of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Dated: November 1, 2017.
Anna K. Abram,
Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning,
Legislation, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2017–24194 Filed 11–6–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Part 862
[Docket No. FDA–2017–N–4394]
Medical Devices; Clinical Chemistry
and Clinical Toxicology Devices;
Classification of the Total 25Hydroxyvitamin D Mass Spectrometry
Test System
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
ACTION:
Final order.
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA, the Agency, or
we) is classifying the total 25hydroxyvitamin D mass spectrometry
test system into class II (special
controls). The special controls that
apply to the device type are identified
in this order and will be part of the
codified language for the total 25hydroxyvitamin D mass spectrometry
test system’s classification. We are
taking this action because we have
determined that classifying the device
into class II (special controls) will
provide a reasonable assurance of safety
and effectiveness of the device. We
believe this action will also enhance
patients’ access to beneficial innovative
devices, in part by reducing regulatory
burdens.
DATES: This order is effective November
7, 2017. The classification was
applicable on May 18, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steven Tjoe, Center for Devices and
Radiological Health, Food and Drug
Administration, 10903 New Hampshire
nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:04 Nov 06, 2017
Jkt 244001
Ave., Bldg. 66, Rm. 4550, Silver Spring,
MD 20993–0002, 301–796–5866,
steven.tjoe@fda.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Upon request, FDA has classified the
total 25-hydroxyvitamin D mass
spectrometry test system as class II
(special controls), which we have
determined will provide a reasonable
assurance of safety and effectiveness. In
addition, we believe this action will
enhance patients’ access to beneficial
innovation, in part by reducing
regulatory burdens by placing the
device into a lower device class than the
automatic class III assignment.
The automatic assignment of class III
occurs by operation of law and without
any action by FDA, regardless of the
level of risk posed by the new device.
Any device that was not in commercial
distribution before May 28, 1976, is
automatically classified as, and remains
within, class III and requires premarket
approval unless and until FDA takes an
action to classify or reclassify the device
(see 21 U.S.C. 360c(f)(1)). We refer to
these devices as ‘‘postamendments
devices’’ because they were not in
commercial distribution prior to the
date of enactment of the Medical Device
Amendments of 1976, which amended
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (the FD&C Act).
FDA may take a variety of actions in
appropriate circumstances to classify or
reclassify a device into class I or II. We
may issue an order finding a new device
to be substantially equivalent under
section 513(i) of the FD&C Act to a
predicate device that does not require
premarket approval (see 21 U.S.C.
360c(i)). We determine whether a new
device is substantially equivalent to a
predicate by means of the procedures
for premarket notification under section
510(k) of the FD&C Act and part 807 (21
U.S.C. 360(k) and 21 CFR part 807,
respectively).
FDA may also classify a device
through ‘‘De Novo’’ classification, a
common name for the process
authorized under section 513(f)(2) of the
FD&C Act. Section 207 of the Food and
Drug Administration Modernization Act
of 1997 established the first procedure
for De Novo classification (Pub. L. 105–
115). Section 607 of the Food and Drug
Administration Safety and Innovation
Act modified the De Novo application
process by adding a second procedure
(Pub. L. 112–144). A device sponsor
may utilize either procedure for De
Novo classification.
Under the first procedure, the person
submits a 510(k) for a device that has
not previously been classified. After
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
receiving an order from FDA classifying
the device into class III under section
513(f)(1) of the FD&C Act, the person
then requests a classification under
section 513(f)(2).
Under the second procedure, rather
than first submitting a 510(k) and then
a request for classification, if the person
determines that there is no legally
marketed device upon which to base a
determination of substantial
equivalence, that person requests a
classification under section 513(f)(2) of
the FD&C Act.
Under either procedure for De Novo
classification, FDA is required to
classify the device by written order
within 120 days. The classification will
be according to the criteria under
section 513(a)(1) of the FD&C Act.
Although the device was automatically
within class III, the De Novo
classification is considered to be the
initial classification of the device.
We believe this De Novo classification
will enhance patients’ access to
beneficial innovation, in part by
reducing regulatory burdens. When FDA
classifies a device into class I or II via
the De Novo process, the device can
serve as a predicate for future devices of
that type, including for 510(k)s (see 21
U.S.C. 360c(f)(2)(B)(i)). As a result, other
device sponsors do not have to submit
a De Novo request or PMA in order to
market a substantially equivalent device
(see 21 U.S.C. 360c(i), defining
‘‘substantial equivalence’’). Instead,
sponsors can use the less-burdensome
510(k) process, when necessary, to
market their device.
II. De Novo Classification
On March 20, 2017, AB Sciex LLC
submitted a request for De Novo
classification of the Vitamin D 200M
Assay for the Topaz System. FDA
reviewed the request in order to classify
the device under the criteria for
classification set forth in section
513(a)(1) of the FD&C Act.
We classify devices into class II if
general controls by themselves are
insufficient to provide reasonable
assurance of safety and effectiveness,
but there is sufficient information to
establish special controls that, in
combination with the generals controls,
provide reasonable assurance of the
safety and effectiveness of the device for
its intended use (see 21 U.S.C.
360c(a)(1)(B)). After review of the
information submitted in the request,
we determined that the device can be
classified into class II with the
establishment of special controls. FDA
has determined that these special
controls, in addition to the general
controls, will provide reasonable
E:\FR\FM\07NOR1.SGM
07NOR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 7, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51554-51558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24194]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
21 CFR Part 73
[Docket No. FDA-2016-C-2767]
Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Calcium
Carbonate
AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is amending the
color additive regulations to provide for the safe use of calcium
carbonate to color hard and soft candy, mints, and chewing gum. We are
taking this action in response to a color additive petition submitted
by the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.
DATES: This rule is effective December 8, 2017. See section X for
further information on the filing of objections. Submit either
electronic or written objections and requests for a hearing on the
final rule by December 7, 2017. The incorporation by reference of
certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of
the Federal Register as of December 7, 2017.
ADDRESSES: You may submit objections and requests for a hearing as
follows. Please note that late, untimely filed objections will not be
considered. Electronic objections must be submitted on or before
December 7, 2017. The https://www.regulations.gov electronic filing
system will accept comments until midnight Eastern Time at the end of
December 7, 2017. Objections received by mail/hand delivery/courier
(for written/paper submissions) will be considered timely if they are
postmarked or the delivery service acceptance receipt is on or before
that date.
Electronic Submissions
Submit electronic objections in the following way:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Objections submitted
electronically, including attachments, to https://www.regulations.gov
will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your objection will be
made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your
objection does not include any confidential information that you or a
third party may not wish to be posted, such as medical information,
your or anyone else's Social Security number, or confidential business
information, such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you
include your name, contact information, or other information that
identifies you in the body of your objection, that information will be
posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
If you want to submit an objection with confidential
information that you do not wish to be made available to the public,
submit the objection as a written/paper submission and in the manner
detailed (see ``Written/Paper Submissions'' and ``Instructions'').
Written Paper Submissions
Submit written/paper submissions as follows:
Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for written/paper
submissions): Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
For written/paper objections submitted to the Dockets
Management Staff, FDA will post your objection, as well as any
attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified,
as confidential, if submitted as detailed in ``Instructions.''
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No.
FDA-2016-C-2767 for ``Listing of Color Additives Exempt from
Certification; Calcium Carbonate.'' Received objections, those filed in
a timely manner (see ADDRESSES), will be placed in the docket and,
except for those submitted as ``Confidential Submissions,'' publicly
viewable at https://www.regulations.gov or with the Dockets Management
Staff between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Confidential Submissions--To submit an objection with
confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly
available, submit your objections only as a written/paper submission.
You should submit two copies total. One copy will include the
information you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note
that states ``THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.'' We
will review this copy, including the claimed confidential information,
in our consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the
claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be
available for public viewing and posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
Submit both copies to the Dockets Management Staff. If you do not wish
your name and contact information to be made publicly available, you
can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body of
your comments and you must identify this information as
``confidential.'' Any information marked as ``confidential'' will not
be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other
applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of
comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or
access the information at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in
the heading of this document, into the ``Search'' box and follow the
prompts and/or go to the Dockets Management Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane,
Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith Kidwell, Center for Food Safety
and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) (HFS-265), Food and Drug Administration,
5001 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20740-3835, 240-402-1071.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
In the Federal Register on October 7, 2016 (81 FR 69740), we
announced that we filed a color additive petition (CAP 6C0307)
submitted by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (petitioner), c/o Exponent, 1150
Connecticut Ave. NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036. The petition
proposed to amend the color additive
[[Page 51555]]
regulations in part 73 (21 CFR part 73) Listing of Color Additives
Exempt from Certification to provide for the safe use of calcium
carbonate to color hard and soft candy, mints, and chewing gum. The
proposed use excludes chocolate or the chocolate portion of candy, as
the current standards of identity for chocolate do not allow for the
addition of color additives (see 21 CFR 163.123, 163.124, 163.130,
163.135, 163.140, 163.145, 163.153, 163.155). After the petition was
filed, the petitioner clarified that calcium carbonate is intended for
use only in ink applied to the surface of the chewing gum.
II. Background
Calcium carbonate is obtained from ground limestone or produced
synthetically through a precipitation process using calcium oxide,
water, and carbon dioxide. Calcium is abundant in the human body and is
an integral component of bones, teeth, and other biological structures.
Calcium constantly diffuses in and out of the bone and is resorbed by
the kidney. Excess intake of calcium may result in hypercalcemia,
hypercalciuria, gastrointestinal issues, kidney stones, interference
with iron and zinc absorption, possible vascular and soft tissue
calcification, and renal and cardiovascular damage. Carbonate is
present in the human body as a critical component of the pH buffering
system. The components of carbonate (carbon and oxygen) are ubiquitous
in the human diet and body, and carbonate itself does not belong to a
class of structures that is associated with any adverse effects or
toxicity.
Calcium carbonate that is pharmaceutical grade is currently
approved under Sec. 73.1070 for use as a color additive in drugs in
amounts consistent with good manufacturing practices (GMP).
Additionally, food grade calcium carbonate and ground limestone
(consisting of not less than 94 percent calcium carbonate) are affirmed
as generally recognized as safe in Sec. 184.1191 and Sec. 184.1409
(21 CFR 184.1191 and 184.1409), respectively. These regulations do not
include limitations for use in food other than current GMP. The
petitioner proposed that to ensure that only food grade calcium
carbonate is used to color hard and soft candy, mints, and chewing gum,
the substance must meet the specifications of the Food Chemicals Codex,
10th edition (FCC 10). We have reviewed these specifications and agree
that they should be incorporated into the regulation as set forth in
this document. The petitioner proposed to use calcium carbonate to
color soft and hard candy, mints, and chewing gum in amounts consistent
with GMP. The maximum GMP use level for calcium carbonate in hard and
soft candy, mints, and chewing gum will be determined by the desired
coloring effect. We have determined that the amount of calcium
carbonate used in these foods is self-limiting because the addition of
the color additive above a certain level will not achieve the desired
coloring effect and negatively interferes with organoleptic properties,
such as taste and texture. Because the amount of the color additive
used in these foods is self-limiting, we have determined that there is
no need for a specific upper limit on the percent by weight of calcium
carbonate in hard and soft candy, mints, and chewing gum (Ref. 1).
III. Safety Evaluation
Under section 721(b)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
(the FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 379e(b)(4)), a color additive cannot be
listed for a particular use unless the data and information available
to FDA establish that the color additive is safe for that use.
Furthermore, under section 721(b)(4) of the FD&C Act, a color additive
is deemed to be suitable and safe for the purpose of listing for use
generally in or on food, while there is in effect a published finding
declaring such substance exempt from the term ``food additive'' because
of its being generally recognized by qualified experts as safe for its
intended use, as provided in section 201(s) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C.
321(s)). FDA's color additive regulations in 21 CFR 70.3(i) define
``safe'' to mean that there is convincing evidence that establishes
with reasonable certainty that no harm will result from the intended
use of the color additive.
To establish with reasonable certainty that a color additive
intended for use in foods is not harmful under its intended conditions
of use, we consider the projected human dietary exposure to the color
additive, the additive's toxicological data, and other relevant
information (such as published literature) available to us. We compare
an individual's estimated exposure, or estimated daily intake (EDI), of
the color additive from all food sources to an acceptable daily intake
level established by toxicological data. The EDI is determined by
projections based on the amount of the color additive proposed for use
in particular foods or drugs and on data regarding the amount consumed
from all sources of the color additive. We commonly use the EDI for the
90th percentile consumer of a color additive as a measure of high
chronic exposure.
A. Estimated Dietary Exposure
The petitioner indicated that, given the types of candies to be
colored and the variable conditions under which calcium carbonate would
be used, the use of the assumption that all candies would contain
calcium carbonate at the maximum GMP level would lead to an
overestimate of exposure. However, because only hard and soft candy,
mints, and chewing gum that are colored white would result in a
potential exposure to calcium carbonate from the proposed use, the
petitioner reviewed the 2009-2012 National Health and Examination
Survey (NHANES) food codes and identified 51 food codes in which
calcium carbonate could potentially be used as a color additive that
represent the intended use in hard and soft candy, mints, and chewing
gum. Although we identified additional food codes that could contain
calcium carbonate, these codes were intentionally excluded by the
petitioner because there were no associated eating occasions for these
additional food codes over the survey years. We agree with the selected
51 food codes and the exclusion of the other food codes (Ref. 2).
Furthermore, the petitioner used market data to refine their exposure
estimate; however, these data were limited to those products that were
introduced in the last 5 years and may not fully represent the market.
Therefore, to be conservative, we estimated exposure to calcium
carbonate using 2-day food consumption data from the 2009-2012 NHANES
for the identified 51 food codes at the GMP use levels and made no
adjustment for market data. Exposure to calcium carbonate and to
calcium was estimated for the U.S. population 2 years of age and older
and children 2 to 5 years of age (Ref. 2).
For the U.S. population 2 years of age and older, exposure
estimates for calcium carbonate at the mean and 90th percentile from
the proposed uses were 170 milligrams/person/day (mg/p/d) and 400 mg/p/
d, respectively. For children 2 to 5 years of age, exposure estimates
for calcium carbonate at the mean and 90th percentile were 125 mg/p/d
and 270 mg/p/d, respectively.
Calcium carbonate is a source of calcium for the consumer once
ingested and metabolized by the body. Therefore, as part of our
evaluation, we also estimated exposure to calcium from the petitioned
uses of calcium carbonate by assuming that the amount of calcium
provided by calcium carbonate as a color additive is 40 percent of the
total weight of calcium carbonate. For the U.S. population 2 years of
age and older,
[[Page 51556]]
estimated exposure to calcium from the proposed uses of calcium
carbonate at the mean and 90th percentile were 70 mg/p/d and 160 mg/p/
d, respectively. For children 2 to 5 years of age, estimated exposure
to calcium at the mean and 90th percentile were 50 mg/p/d and 110 mg/p/
d, respectively.
Additionally, we estimated exposure to calcium from background
dietary sources, drugs, and dietary supplements using 2-day food
consumption data for all foods and nutrient data for calcium in those
foods based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient
Database for Standard Reference. This estimate also included exposure
to calcium from dietary supplements (including non-prescription
antacids that contain calcium) based on NHANES 2-day survey data (Ref.
2).
For the U.S. population 2 years of age and older, exposure to
calcium from background dietary sources, drugs, and dietary supplements
at the mean and 90th percentile were estimated to be 1,125 mg/p/d and
1,900 mg/p/d, respectively. For children 2 to 5 years of age, exposure
estimates at the mean and 90th percentile were 1,000 mg/p/d and 1,600
mg/p/d, respectively. Because our exposure estimates for dietary
supplements include calcium from all sources, not just calcium
carbonate, we believe that this exposure estimate is sufficiently
conservative to include any exposure to calcium from the use of calcium
carbonate to color drugs (Ref. 2).
We estimated exposure to calcium from background dietary sources,
drugs, dietary supplements and the proposed uses of calcium carbonate
at the mean and 90th percentile for the U.S. population 2 years of age
and older and children 2 to 5 years of age. Based on these
calculations, exposure estimates for calcium for the U.S. population 2
years of age and older at the mean and 90th percentile were 1,150 mg/p/
d and 1,925 mg/p/d, respectively. For children 2 to 5 years of age,
exposure estimates for calcium at the mean and 90th percentile were
1,025 mg/p/d and 1,625 mg/p/d, respectively (Ref. 2).
B. Safety of the Petitioned Uses of Calcium Carbonate
To support the safety of the petitioned use of calcium carbonate,
the petitioner referenced safety information on calcium from the 2011
Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report on Dietary Reference Intakes for
Calcium and Vitamin D (Ref. 3) and the European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies'
reevaluation of the safety of calcium (Ref. 4). In 2011, the Standing
Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes of
the Food and Nutrition Board of the IOM conducted an extensive review
of relevant published scientific literature on calcium to update
current dietary reference intakes and Upper Tolerable Intake Levels
(UL). In their 2011 assessment of calcium, the IOM established a UL of
1,000 mg/p/d for infants 0 to 6 months of age and 1,500 mg/p/d for
infants 6 to 12 months of age. For children 1 to 8 years of age, IOM
did not change the UL of 2,500 mg/p/d from the previous IOM report in
1997. For children 9 to 18 years of age, IOM increased the UL to 3,000
mg/p/d. For adults 19 to 50 years of age, the IOM established a UL of
2,500 mg/p/d; for adults 51 years and older, the IOM established a UL
of 2,000 mg/p/d.
The IOM considers the UL as the highest average daily intake level
of a nutrient that poses no risk of adverse effects when the nutrient
is consumed over long periods of time. The UL is determined using a
risk assessment model developed specifically for nutrients. The dose-
response assessment, which concludes with an estimate of the UL, is
built upon three toxicological concepts commonly used in assessing the
risk of exposures to chemical substances: No-observed-adverse-effect
level, lowest-observed-effect level, and application of an uncertainty
factor. We considered the ULs established by the IOM relative to the
exposure estimates for calcium as the primary basis for assessing the
safety of the petitioned uses of calcium carbonate.
The estimated dietary exposure to calcium from the petitioned uses,
dietary sources, and dietary supplements at the 90th percentile for the
U.S. population 2 years of age and older is estimated to be 1,925 mg/p/
d, which is below the IOM's UL of 2,000-3,000 mg/p/d. For children 2 to
5 years of age, the exposure estimate at the 90th percentile is 1,625
mg/p/d, which also is below the IOM's UL of 2,500 mg/p/d for this age
group. Additionally, the body of literature on calcium carbonate and
calcium does not present evidence of safety concerns at the expected
dietary exposures discussed above. Thus, we conclude that the
petitioned use of calcium carbonate as a color additive in soft and
hard candy, mints, and chewing gum is safe (Ref. 5).
IV. Incorporation by Reference
FDA is incorporating by reference the Food Chemicals Codex, 10th
ed. (2016), pp. 213-214 (calcium carbonate) and p. 754 (limestone,
ground), which was approved by the Office of the Federal Register. You
may purchase a copy of the material from the United States
Pharmacopeial Convention, 12601 Twinbrook Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20852
(https://www.usp.org). Copies also may be examined at FDA's Main
Library, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 2, Third Floor, Silver Spring,
MD 20993, 301-796-2039.
The FCC is a compendium of internationally recognized standards for
the purity and identity of food ingredients. To ensure that only food
grade calcium carbonate and ground limestone (consisting of not less
than 94 percent calcium carbonate) are used in hard and soft candy,
mints, and chewing gum, the additive must meet the specifications and
identity in the appropriate FCC monograph.
V. Conclusion
FDA reviewed the data and information in the petition and other
available relevant material and determined the use of calcium carbonate
to color hard and soft candy, mints, and chewing gum at GMP levels is
safe. We further conclude that the additive will achieve its intended
technical effect and is suitable for the petitioned uses. We note that
these uses do not extend to chocolate or the chocolate portion of candy
because the standards of identity for chocolate do not allow for the
addition of color additives (see 21 CFR 163.123, 163.124, 163.130,
163.135, 163.140, 163.145, 163.153, 163.155). Based on the available
information, we are amending the color additive regulations in part 73
as set forth in this document. In addition, based on the factors listed
in 21 CFR 71.20(b), we conclude that certification of calcium carbonate
to color hard and soft candy, mints, and chewing gum is not necessary
for the protection of public health (Ref. 1).
VI. Public Disclosure
In accordance with Sec. 71.15 (21 CFR 71.15), the petition and the
documents that we considered and relied upon in reaching our decision
to approve the petition will be made available for public disclosure
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). As provided in Sec. 71.15, we
will delete from the documents any materials that are not available for
public disclosure.
VII. Analysis of Environmental Impact
We previously considered the environmental effects of this rule, as
stated in the October 7, 2016, Federal Register notice of petition for
CAP 6C0307 (81 FR 69740). We stated that we had determined, under 21
CFR
[[Page 51557]]
25.32(k), that this action ``is of a type that does not individually or
cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment'' such
that neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact
statement is required. We have not received any new information or
comments that would affect our previous determination.
VIII. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
This final rule contains no collection of information. Therefore,
clearance by the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 is not required.
IX. Section 301(ll) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
Our review of this petition was limited to section 721 of the FD&C
Act. This final rule is not a statement regarding compliance with other
sections of the FD&C Act. For example, section 301(ll) of the FD&C Act
(21 U.S.C. 331(ll)) prohibits the introduction or delivery for
introduction into interstate commerce of any food that contains a drug
approved under section 505 of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 355), a
biological product licensed under section 351 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262), or a drug or biological product for which
substantial clinical investigations have been instituted and their
existence has been made public, unless one of the exemptions in section
301(ll)(1) to (ll)(4) of the FD&C Act applies. In our review of this
petition, we did not consider whether section 301(ll) of the FD&C Act
or any of its exemptions apply to food containing this color additive.
Accordingly, this final rule should not be construed to be a statement
that a food containing this color additive, if introduced or delivered
for introduction into interstate commerce, would not violate section
301(ll) of the FD&C Act. Furthermore, this language is included in all
color additive final rules that pertain to food and therefore should
not be construed to be a statement of the likelihood that section
301(ll) of the FD&C Act applies.
X. Objections
This rule is effective as shown in the DATES section, except as to
any provisions that may be stayed by the filing of proper objections.
If you will be adversely affected by one or more provisions of this
regulation, you may file with the Dockets Management Staff (see
ADDRESSES) either electronic or written objections. You must separately
number each objection, and within each numbered objection you must
specify with particularity the provision(s) to which you object, and
the grounds for your objection. Within each numbered objection, you
must specifically state whether you are requesting a hearing on the
particular provision that you specify in that numbered objection. If
you do not request a hearing for any particular objection, you waive
the right to a hearing on that objection. If you request a hearing,
your objection must include a detailed description and analysis of the
specific factual information you intend to present in support of the
objection in the event that a hearing is held. If you do not include
such a description and analysis for any particular objection, you waive
the right to a hearing on the objection.
Any objections received in response to the regulation may be seen
at the Dockets Management Staff between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday, and will be posted to the docket at https://www.regulations.gov. We will publish notice of the objections that we
have received or lack thereof in the Federal Register.
XI. References
The following references are on display with the Dockets Management
Staff (see ADDRESSES) and are available for viewing by interested
persons between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; they also are
available electronically at https://www.regulations.gov. References
that are published articles and books are not on display.
1. Memorandum from N. Hepp, Color Technology Team, Office of
Cosmetics and Colors (OCAC), CFSAN, FDA to C. Johnston, Division of
Petition Review, Office of Food Additive Safety (OFAS), CFSAN, FDA,
October 27, 2016.
2. Memorandum from D. Doell, Division of Petition Review, OFAS,
CFSAN, FDA to J. Kidwell, Division of Petition Review, OFAS, CFSAN,
FDA, February 16, 2017.
3. Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and
Calcium, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, ``Dietary
Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D,'' National Academies
Press, Washington, DC, 2011.
4. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). ``Scientific Opinion on
the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Calcium.'' EFSA Journal, vol.
10(7), p. 2814, 2012.
5. Memorandum from T. Thurmond, Division of Petition Review, OFAS,
CFSAN, FDA to J. Kidwell, Division of Petition Review, OFAS, CFSAN,
FDA, February 17, 2017.
List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 73
Color additives, Cosmetics, Drugs, Incorporation by reference,
Medical devices.
Therefore, under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and under
authority delegated to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and
redelegated to the Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition, 21 CFR part 73 is amended as follows:
PART 73--LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION
0
1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321, 341, 342, 343, 348, 351, 352, 355,
361, 362, 371, 379e.
0
2. Section 73.70 is added to subpart A to read as follows:
Sec. 73.70 Calcium carbonate.
(a) Identity. (1) The color additive calcium carbonate is a fine,
white powder consisting essentially of calcium carbonate
(CaCO3) prepared either by grinding naturally occurring
limestone or synthetically, by precipitation.
(2) Color additive mixtures for food use made with calcium
carbonate may contain only those diluents that are suitable and that
are listed in this subpart as safe for use in color additive mixtures
for coloring foods.
(b) Specifications. The color additive meets the specifications of
the Food Chemicals Codex, 10th ed. (2016), pp. 213-214 (calcium
carbonate) and p. 754 (limestone, ground), which is incorporated by
reference. The Director of the Office of the Federal Register approves
this incorporation by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and
1 CFR part 51. You may obtain copies from the United States
Pharmacopeial Convention, 12601 Twinbrook Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20852
(internet address https://www.usp.org). Copies may be examined at the
Food and Drug Administration's Main Library, 10903 New Hampshire Ave.,
Bldg. 2, Third Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-2039, or at the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on
the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to:
https://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/cfr/ibr_locations.html.
(c) Uses and restrictions. Calcium carbonate may be safely used in
amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice to color soft and
hard candies and mints, and in inks used on the surface of chewing gum,
except that it may not be used to color chocolate for which standards
of identity have been promulgated under section 401 of the Federal
Food, Drug,
[[Page 51558]]
and Cosmetic Act unless added color is authorized by such standards.
(d) Labeling requirements. The label of the color additive and of
any mixtures prepared therefrom intended solely or in part for coloring
purposes must conform to the requirements of Sec. 70.25 of this
chapter.
(e) Exemption from certification. Certification of this color
additive is not necessary for the protection of the public health, and,
therefore, batches thereof are exempt from the certification
requirements of section 721(c) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act.
Dated: November 1, 2017.
Anna K. Abram,
Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Legislation, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2017-24194 Filed 11-6-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164-01-P