§ 199-b. Powers and duties of commissioner respecting food additives and color additives. 1. The commissioner shall maintain currently an exemption list which shall contain the food additives and color additives which in his judgment are safe for human consumption and need not be reported. All other food additives and color additives shall be reported by the food manufacturer or processor selling or offering or exposing for sale any food in which a food additive or color additive has been used or is an ingredient and the commissioner shall grant a grace period of two years from the effective date of this act within which such manufacturer or processor shall submit test data which shall satisfy the commissioner as to the safety of such food additive or color additive when used in food or food processing. Upon failure of the manufacturer or processor to supply the commissioner with such satisfactory test data within said two year period, the sale or use of such food additive or color additive by such manufacturer or processor shall be unlawful.

2. The commissioner shall determine upon a fair evaluation of the entire record whether a food additive or color additive may be safely used, the conditions under which it may be used, and a safe, permissible maximum therefor. As to such matters, the determination shall be made upon written recommendation with the reasons therefor, and which shall constitute the commissioner's decision upon which a formal order shall be made by him. Whenever the commissioner is not satisfied upon a fair evaluation of the entire record as to the safety of a food additive or color additive, he shall make a determination which shall show the facts found and the reasons for it and on this decision he shall make his formal order. On or before the thirtieth day after the date on which a formal order under this subsection is served either in person or by registered or certified mail upon the person affected thereby, any person who will be adversely affected by such order if placed in effect may file objections thereto with the commissioner specifying with particularity the provisions of the order deemed objectionable, stating the grounds therefor, and requesting a public hearing upon such objections. The filing of such objections shall operate to stay the effectiveness of those provisions of the order to which the objections are made. As soon as practicable after objections are filed by any person who will be adversely affected by such order the commissioner, after due notice, shall hold a public hearing for the purpose of receiving evidence relevant and material to the issue raised by such objections. At the hearing any interested person may be heard in person or by attorney, and upon the completion of the hearing the commissioner shall make a final order which shall be based upon a fair evaluation of the entire record taken at such hearing and shall set forth as part of the order the findings of fact on which the order is based. Any order of the commissioner under this section shall be final unless within thirty days from the date of service thereof upon the party affected thereby a court proceeding is instituted to review it.

3. The commissioner is hereby authorized to adopt regulations relating to the reporting of food additives and color additives, the use thereof in food and food products, the fixing of definitions and standards of identity and of quality for foods and of safe permissible maximums for food additives and color additives in the manufacturing, compounding or processing of foods, requirements for the submission of test data on the safety of food additives and color additives or in new uses therefor, public hearings, official orders and all such matters as shall supplement and give full force and effect to the provisions of this chapter relating to the use of food additives and color additives in food and food products.

4. In making or changing any determination under this article as to whether any food additive or color additive may be safely used, the commissioner of agriculture and markets shall obtain the prior written approval of the department of health which approval shall not be withheld if the food additive or color additive is safe under the conditions of its intended use. The commissioner of agriculture and markets shall make available to the department of health all test data and other information furnished him in accordance with sections one hundred ninety-nine-a and one hundred ninety-nine-b of this article.