Despite only 55 percent of respondents in the Food and Health Survey reporting confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply, in a newly released IFIC spotlight survey evaluating U.S. consumers’ perceptions of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) rule, 72 percent of respondents said they are confident in the safety of ingredients in the food and beverages they purchase. Other findings from the survey include:

• Most consumers believe the federal government should be responsible for evaluating the safety of food ingredients
• Consumers are divided in their belief that the U.S. federal government has evaluated the safety of food and beverage ingredients
• Slightly more than half of consumers are aware of FDA’s GRAS rule
• Among consumers who have heard of GRAS, two in three believe it is effective.

GRAS is a process by which food companies can determine for themselves whether a food ingredient is “safe” and include it in their products, without notifying FDA. In September, FDA revealed its intent to issue a proposed rule that would make significant changes to the GRAS process.

Beyond food ingredient safety, another new IFIC survey on U.S. consumers’ perceptions of food recalls revealed that 74 percent of respondents believe food recalls are increasing—a perception that directly shapes overall confidence. Other findings from the survey include:

• Consumers expect to hear first from the media about recalls of foods they regularly buy, with more than six out of ten respondents recently hearing about a food recall through traditional or social media
• Nearly half of consumers believe that federal government agencies are responsible for informing the public about food recalls
• Consumers think fresh meats, poultry, seafood, fruits, and vegetables are the foods most often involved in recalls
• Approximately two-thirds of consumers would sign up for text message alerts about food recalls.

IFIC says that its findings offer a clear picture: “Concerns about ingredients and recalls are reshaping public trust—and the way we communicate about food safety matters more than ever.”