US Gives GRAS Status to Arcadia’s Sonova GLA Safflower

11 Jan 2017 --- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given GRAS status to Sonova GLA Safflower from agricultural technology company Arcadia Biosciences for use in nutritional beverages and medical foods. 

It means the USDA officially categorized the product rich in Gamma-linolenic acid as “generally recognized as safe”.

Arcadia produces GLA safflower nutritional oils with high concentrations of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). These oils are marketed by Arcadia under the Sonova brand and are currently used in nutritional supplement products. 

GLA is a nutritionally important omega-6 fatty acid that helps support the body’s anti-inflammatory response and is especially useful for managing weight, improving skin health and maintaining hormonal balance for women. When used in combination with the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), GLA has been shown to support heart and eye health.

“This FDA GRAS notification expands the application options for Arcadia’s Sonova GLA safflower oil, opening adjacent markets for our customers in nutritional beverages and medical foods,” says Raj Ketkar, president and CEO of Arcadia Biosciences. “By providing our customers with oil containing two to three times the concentration of other sources of GLA, we expect our proprietary Sonova GLA safflower oil to provide important health benefits at a superior cost position.”

Arcadia says it followed FDA-proposed procedures and convened an expert panel to review the safety data to establish in order to get GRAS status for Sonova GLA safflower oil, which is produced in the US under strict identity protocols. It’s available in several forms including bulk oil, soft gels and powder.