The Food and Drug Administration today announced that it will embark on a thorough scientific assessment of the health significance of very low levels of furan -- a chemical that is produced through the heating process - in certain foods. FDA has initiated this process through a notice on display today at the Office of the Federal Register. The notice solicits scientific data and announces a June 8, 2004, Food Advisory Committee meeting on furan.Some animal data suggests that high levels of furan exposure might have a carcinogenic effect in humans, but its true effects in humans - especially at such very low levels -- are not known. A new method developed by FDA scientists has revealed that very low levels of furan are found in a wider range of foods than previously suspected. FDA scientists discovered that furan forms in a variety of foods that undergo heat treatment, including certain canned and jarred foods. FDA tested a variety of foods and the results ranged from non-detectable levels in some foods to approximately 100 parts per billion in other foods.
