Glossary
GRAS
What does GRAS mean?
Generally Recognized As Safe — a US status meaning qualified experts agree an ingredient is safe for a specific use, so it does not need formal approval as a food additive.
GRAS is a status, not a certificate, and understanding that clears up most of the confusion around it.
An ingredient can get there two ways. The FDA can review and list it, or a manufacturer can conclude it on the basis of an expert panel assessment and optionally notify the FDA. Both are lawful. They differ in how much public documentation exists.
For flavor ingredients specifically, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association runs a long-established expert panel, and a FEMA GRAS number is what most flavor specifications cite.
Three things that matter in practice
It applies to a specific use. An ingredient that is GRAS for a drink at a stated level is not automatically GRAS for infant formula, or at ten times that level.
It is a US thing. The EU, Canada, Japan and others run their own lists. If you are exporting, check the destination country separately.
Ask for the paperwork, not the assurance. A supplier should be able to give you the FEMA number or the basis for the GRAS conclusion for every component.