Regulatory Sources
FoodPurityScanner checks each additive against the regulatory record in six jurisdictions. A substance banned outright in any one of these five non-US regions is flagged as Tier 3 (“Ugly”), even when the FDA still permits it in the United States.
FDA — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Regulates food additive approvals in the United States, including the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) list.
Role in tiering: Used as the baseline comparison point: a Tier 3 ("Ugly") flag specifically means a substance is banned outright in one of the other five regions below while the FDA still permits it in the US.
EFSA — European Food Safety Authority
The EU's independent scientific body for food-safety risk assessment, including re-evaluations of existing additives.
Role in tiering: Its opinions and re-evaluations underpin most EU-wide bans, usage caps, and maximum-permitted-level rules checked for Tier 2 (restricted/capped) and Tier 3 (banned) classification.
UK FSA — Food Standards Agency (United Kingdom)
The UK's independent food safety regulator.
Role in tiering: Checked separately from the EU, since UK rules have diverged from EU rules post-Brexit on some substances (e.g. titanium dioxide) — confirms whether a ban or restriction actually applies in the UK specifically, not just assumed from the EU position.
Health Canada — Health Canada
Canada's federal department responsible for food safety regulation.
Role in tiering: Source for Canadian bans and restrictions used in the tiering rule (e.g. the 2018 outright ban on partially hydrogenated oils).
FSANZ — Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Develops and maintains the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Role in tiering: Source for Australian bans, restrictions, and maximum permitted levels checked in the tiering rule.
Japan MHLW — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)
Maintains Japan's positive list of food additives permitted for use.
Role in tiering: Japan operates a positive-list system — a substance absent from that list is functionally banned there. Checked to catch bans and restrictions the other five sources wouldn't surface (e.g. TBHQ, not on Japan's approved list).