Industry First: Rice Protein Achieves FDA GRAS Status

By WholeFoods Magazine Staff – July 14, 2016

Los Angeles, CA—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter of non-objection to Axiom Foods regarding the GRAS status of its Oryzatein brown rice and Vegotein pea protein ingredients. According to the firm, this is the first time a rice protein has received this designation.

In an official statement, the company said, “rice is becoming the new wheat,” as companies are looking to avoid GMOs, gluten and common food allergens like soy and whey. The firm believes having an “FDA GRAS nod” to brown rice and pea proteins could break open the category for mainstream food products.

David Janow, CEO of Axiom Foods, a former Wall Street food commodities broker said, “This FDA approval is the one thing that the majors such as PepsiCo, Nestle/General Mills and Kraft have been asking of the industry to support their plant protein initiatives. For Axiom Foods, this GRAS classification translates into rice and pea protein no longer classified as an ‘alternative protein source,’ used as a supplement or something found in natural products only.”

Published in WholeFoods Magazine Online, 7/14/16