WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon overhaul its rules for approving food additives after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. directed the agency to reconsider a decades-old policy that allows companies to self-certify ingredients as safe.
The move targets the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) designation, a system created in 1958 to fast-track common ingredients like salt and vinegar. But a 1997 rule change let companies bypass FDA review entirely by declaring their own additives safe—without submitting evidence to regulators.
Kennedy’s order, issued March 10, calls for an end to this “self-affirmation” loophole, which critics say has allowed potentially risky chemicals into the food supply unchecked.
A System Designed for Speed—But Is It Safe
Originally, GRAS was meant to avoid unnecessary red tape for well-known ingredients. But after safety scandals in the 1960s, the FDA tightened oversight—only to relax it again in 1997 to reduce approval delays.
Since then, food manufacturers have quietly introduced an estimated 1,000 substances without FDA review, according to a 2013 Pew Charitable Trusts report. Many rely on in-house experts to vouch for safety, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and lax testing.
“This is the fox guarding the hen house,” said Kris DeAngelo, a food law expert at Michigan State University. “Companies shouldn’t be the ones deciding what’s safe for consumers.”
What Happens Next
Kennedy’s directive pushes the FDA to require mandatory pre-market reviews for new additives, along with public disclosure of safety data. Acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner said the agency is committed to “further safeguarding the food supply.”
But challenges loom. The FDA, already stretched thin by budget cuts, may lack the staff to handle a flood of new submissions. Some experts warn that stricter rules could slow innovation and strain food manufacturers.
“Better oversight is needed, but without proper funding, this could backfire,” DeAngelo cautioned.
For now, the fate of hundreds of untested additives remains uncertain—and so does the FDA’s ability to police them.
Why This Matters
If successful, the reforms could bring long-overdue transparency to food safety. If not, critics fear another generation of chemicals will slip into diets without scrutiny—or consequences.
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