2 ms·
It's the same in the US. Kava isn't a GRAS food despite records of it being a traded commodity on the US mainland decades before the GRAS list was introduced, a
by markdown 7y ago
It's the same in the US. Kava isn't a GRAS food despite records of it being a traded commodity on the US mainland decades before the GRAS list was introduced, and despite it being consumed as a food in Hawaii since the day the first Hawaiians arrived there by canoe and brought it with them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generally_recognized_as_safe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generally_recognized_as_safe
- et2o 7y agoI think it likely should not be GRAS. It’s not a typical food additive or ingredient, it’s a psychoactive drug which rarely can cause side effects. I think FDA regulation is appropriate.
- markdown 7y ago> It’s not a typical food additive or ingredient If you look at other stuff on the GRAS list (eg. tea, coffee), kava definitely qualifies. > it’s a psychoactive drug which rarely can cause side effects. It's a drug like tea and coffee are. As per the FDA definition of a food, kava definitely qualifies. Numerous foods on the GRAS list can cause side-effects, and there are certainly more dangerous foods on there (peanuts, eggs, and shellfish kill people all the time). Kava has a very long history of safe use, is a traditional beverage of the US state of Hawaii, and is considered a safe to drink beverage by the WHO. There is no reason why it shouldn't be GRAS.