What does 21 CFR part 172 cover?

21 CFR part 172 is Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption. It runs to 153 sections across 9 subparts and sits in subchapter B of chapter I, Food for Human Consumption.

Early access How it works

21 CFR Part 172: Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption

Part 172 of title 21 runs to 153 sections across 9 subparts, and sits in subchapter B, Food for Human Consumption. Every section is reproduced in full and is current to 2026-09-10.

Sections: 153
Subparts: 9
Words of regulation: 44,203
Current to: 2026-09-10

Subpart A: General Provisions

172.5 General provisions for direct food additives5

Subpart B: Food Preservatives

Subpart C: Coatings, Films and Related Substances

Subpart D: Special Dietary and Nutritional Additives

Subpart E: Anticaking Agents

Subpart F: Flavoring Agents and Related Substances

Subpart G: Gums, Chewing Gum Bases and Related Substances

Subpart H: Other Specific Usage Additives

Subpart I: Multipurpose Additives

Read 21 CFR part 172 at the eCFR · All of 21 CFR for food safety

Questions

What does 21 CFR part 172 cover?: 21 CFR part 172 is Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption. It runs to 153 sections across 9 subparts and sits in subchapter B of chapter I, Food for Human Consumption.

Every section of part 172 is a clause somebody has to produce evidence for at their next audit. Krolda maps supplier documents to the clause they satisfy in FSSC 22000, IFS Food and 21 CFR 117, and routes the corrective action when the evidence is missing.

Early access

Recall records come from the openFDA food enforcement API, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the public domain. Krolda adds the hazard classification and the clause mapping; neither is an FDA determination. Always check the FDA notice before acting on a recall.