Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is phasing out several petroleum-based food dyes from American foods, a move aimed at protecting public health.
The FDA’s decision comes after years of criticism over its handling of additives in food products. A loophole in the nation’s food safety laws allows manufacturers to insert new additives without FDA oversight if they are “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by food scientists. However, this loophole has been exploited by large food companies, leading to the introduction of hundreds of unregulated additives into the American diet.
According to a 2011 study, over 1,000 additives have been inserted into American food products without FDA review since 1997. The FDA’s lack of oversight has led to conflicts of interest in safety evaluations, with some scientists being employed by or receiving financial compensation from manufacturers.
Kennedy’s proposal to close the GRAS loophole is a step towards ensuring public health and safety. He has directed the FDA to reform its approach, including routine audits of over 1,000 GRAS determinations and rigorous evaluation of scientific evidence on the health effects of additives.
The move is also aimed at addressing concerns about the dominance of ultra-processed foods in American diets, which have been linked to devastating health consequences. Kennedy’s proposal requires food manufacturers to disclose all GRAS-pathway ingredients in their products, a measure that will give the FDA the oversight tools it needs to identify and remove unsafe ingredients.
The FDA’s decision marks a significant shift towards greater transparency and accountability in the food industry. As Secretary Kennedy noted, “Mandating disclosure would give the agency the oversight tools it needs to shine a light on every ingredient introduced through the GRAS loophole and hold companies responsible for what they feed the public.”
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/rfk-rightfood-additive-transparency-can-make-america-healthy-again-opinion-2072280