Chinova Bioworks earns FDA GRAS status

Chinova Bioworks receives a No Questions Letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding their Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) application for Chiber mushroom fibre, a natural food and beverage preservative.

FDA created the GRAS procedure to ensure companies performed the necessary research and testing, demonstrating their food ingredients are safe for the public at the intended levels and use specified within the application. A No Question Letter is the FDA’s communication showing an ingredient is permitted for use. FDA GRAS status is recognized in many countries outside the U.S. and aids in garnering regulatory ingredient acceptance abroad.

Chiber is a natural mushroom fibre derived from the upcycled stems of white button mushrooms. This fibre functions as a natural preservative used to improve the quality, freshness, and shelf-life of various food and beverage products such as cottage cheese, plant-based meats, and hummus.

“We’re excited to get this additional level of regulatory acceptance for Chiber, as it shows our commitment to making it a healthy and transparent ingredient for consumers. Mushrooms have long been overlooked by our food system for their incredible functional properties, but we have found a great use for this mushroom fibre as a natural replacement for artificial preservatives,” said David Brown, co-founder and COO of Chinova Bioworks. “After years of preparation, analysis, and research needed to show the safety, quality, and natural processing, we are so pleased to have received this No Questions Letter from the FDA.”