FDA to Require Notice of Food Additives for First Time — SkimNews
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- HHS announced a new requirement for companies to notify the FDA when adding substances to food, including details on how they determined the additive is 'generally recognized as safe' (GRAS).
- FDA will create a public database of GRAS additives already in use, marking the first time manufacturers must disclose existing additives and their applications in food products.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed the policy closes the GRAS loophole 'once and for all,' though FDA acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas clarified it does not establish pre-market approval, which would require congressional action.
- Jennifer Pomeranz called the proposal a 'significant change' that enables post-market review, noting the FDA previously had no mechanism to identify self-GRAS ingredients used by food companies.
- Peter Lurie criticized the policy as unenforceable, arguing that allowing companies to sell products before submitting notices undermines the mandate, saying 'mandatory without enforcement is not mandatory at all.'
- Marion Nestle expressed disappointment, calling the move 'an improvement' but insufficient, as companies still control the science and hire their own experts to declare additives safe.
- David Kessler said the policy fails to address the root causes of chronic disease, noting it ignores refined carbohydrates and sweeteners in ultra-processed foods, which he previously petitioned the FDA to regulate.
Why it matters: The FDA gains visibility into thousands of unreported food additives, enabling future health assessments, but without pre-market approval or enforcement teeth, the food industry retains control over safety determinations—delaying meaningful reform despite mounting evidence linking additives and processed foods to chronic disease.
Ask SkimNews
