Our first two questions on this topic are:
- Is it possible to conduct a taste test of a non-FDA reviewed product? [*] What do we need to be cognizant of with regards to taste tests of a non-FDA reviewed product?
@Cox, @Joanne, @ChristineGouldTFF, @josephjjames, I’m hoping you can help us answer some of these questions. What are your thoughts? We’d appreciate any insight you’re able to give!
Can’t answer your question about the USA, but in other countries why not? You should however, discuss this with your ethics or similar committee if there is one, to ensure you aren’t breaking any limitations. You should also look at the safety hazards which could arise during conducting the test and put in place procedures to minimise them.
Rather than the term ‘organoleptic’ use ‘sensory’, much better term.
@aospan, @SamuelNewman, @chrdamm, you may be able to answer some of @Caroline’s questions. Please join the discussion!
You are not allowed to sell seafood products to consumers without FDA approval - that’s the law. For public tasting events there is no clear legislation but it is understood that the regulatory agencies (FDA & USDA) don’t like it if products are consumed that have not gone through their regulatory processes. Their mandate is to protect consumers. Therefore, any tasting event that is publicized widely on the internet, in newspapers or magazines will provoke very likely a negative response from those agencies. However, if the tasting event is done in private without publicity, there shouldn’t be any problem (as the public doesn’t know about it…).
I would say that we need to be cognizant of the safety of the individual ingredients that are being used in the product.
Many ingredients and preservatives have already been exempted from the regulation process because they have already been determined as safe for use in food and/or GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredients.
For example salt, sugar, spices, vitamins and monosodium glutamate (MSG) sodium nitrite and potassium nitrite.