BCM-95 Curcumin Receives GRAS Status for Medical Foods

DolCas Biotech’s (Landing, NJ) BCM-95 turmeric extract is now self-affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use in medical foods. In addition to its GRAS status for conventional foods, where it may be used in doses up to 180 mg per person per day, the BCM-95’s GRAS allows for a dose of up to 1000 mg per person per day in medical foods.

BCM-95, which DolCas has researched in collaboration with India-based Arjuna Natural Extracts, is designed to be a more bioavailable form of curcumin “thanks to the synergism between the curcumin itself and the compound αr-turmerone, an essential oil component of turmeric extract,” DolCas explained in the GRAS announcement.

GRAS Associates, LLC (Bonita Springs, FL) convened the expert GRAS panel which concluded BCM-95 is safe at the aforementioned dosage levels, based on more than 24 clinical trials conducted on BCM-95’s safety and potential health applications. DolCas intends to promote BCM-95 for use at a dose level of 500 mg per serving in medical foods, says Nipen Lavingia, vice president of business development for Dolcas.

“DolCas has marketed BCM-95 in the U.S. since 2006, enjoying a steady increase in demand, thanks to dedicated consumers,” says KG Rao, CEO of Dolcas. “Attaining GRAS status as a medical food is a strategic move that will position BCM-95 as a leading curcumin brand in the U.S. market.”

Read more:

Everyone Uses GRAS Panels These Days. But Is the System Working?

Is GRAS Still a Viable NDI Workaround?

Turmeric Rising: Turmeric and Curcumin Research Is Hot

Michael Crane
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook Magazine
michael.crane@ubm.com