Editor's Note: New Year, New Regulations

I remember sitting in on a talk during a trade show a few years ago about a new non-neutrative sweetener, and the entire audience collectively groaned when the term “regulatory” came into the conversation. They didn’t want to hear about the compliance of this sweetener; they just wanted to hear about how it performs in the product. That’s what matters, right? But the speaker reminded the audience that the regulatory aspects of the product were just as important as its applications. No compliance, no innovative sweetener, no new product.

The flavor and fragrance industries are being affected by regulatory challenges and changing political landscapes. New leaders are elected and propose new policies, and the industry must quickly adjust to them. We’ve seen this in both the United States and the European Union within the past year. For example, in January the FDA revoked the use of red dye no. 3 as a color additive in food and drugs. So it’s up to companies to think on their feet to come up with creative and innovative solutions when these policy changes are announced.

So while the term “regulatory” may elicit eye rolls and groans, it’s extremely important in the industry and can directly impact product development. How can a company pivot if an ingredient they’ve used for decades in their product now isn’t allowed in a certain country? And how can the industry advocate for itself to make sure these policies are informed by good science and not political lobbying? 

These two industries have demonstrated their ability to think through supply chain issues and pandemic uncertainty, and I think the same creativity will apply to solving regulatory challenges. The key will be continuing to educate oneself on the issues at hand and the regulations coming down the pipeline. No one wants to be caught unprepared when the deadline comes to call.