RFK Jr. Pushes to Terminate FDA's Food Additive Program: Why It Matters

Kennedy Targets Longstanding FDA Food Safety Program

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched an effort to dismantle a longstanding FDA program known as GRAS—“generally recognized as safe”—which critics argue has allowed potentially harmful chemicals into the American food supply with little to no oversight. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EWG: Majority of New Food Additives Not Reviewed by FDA

According to a 2022 analysis by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), nearly 99% of new food-related chemicals introduced since 2000 were not approved by the FDA, but rather by the food and chemical industry itself. Over the same period, only ten substances were submitted for FDA review. Pixabay / Pexels

Kennedy Calls for Transparency in Food Ingredient Approvals

“For far too long, ingredient manufacturers and sponsors have exploited a loophole that has allowed new ingredients and chemicals, often with unknown safety data, to be introduced into the U.S. food supply without notification to the FDA or the public,” Kennedy said in a recent statement. “Eliminating this loophole will provide transparency to consumers,” he added, and “help get our nation’s food supply back on track by ensuring that ingredients being introduced into foods are safe.” The White House / Wikimedia

Kennedy Engages Industry Leaders on Food Labeling and Safety

Kennedy has already begun meeting with industry leaders from companies like Kraft Heinz, General Mills, and PepsiCo. “You should be able to exercise informed choice. You should know what that product is, what’s in your food and what the health impacts are,” he told Sean Hannity during a Fox News interview. “We’re going to incentivize companies to be transparent, and we’re going to inform Americans about what’s making them sick. Nobody wants to be sick.” The White House / Wikimedia

Experts Support Reform but Raise Concerns Over FDA Resources

“I’m all for dealing with the GRAS loophole. It’s way past time for the FDA to close it,” said Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition and food studies at NYU, in an email to CNN. However, she cautioned that the FDA may lack the resources and staffing to take on such a task effectively. Food and Drug Administration / Wikimedia

Former FDA Chief Highlights Political and Financial Hurdles

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf noted that overturning GRAS would mean confronting “years of lobbying and politicians who mostly were blocking the efforts to make this happen.” Still, he emphasized the importance of rigorous, independent evaluations of food additives, stating, “It seems to me that beefing up the FDA budget, this would be a good deal for the American people.” United States Food and Drug Administration / Wikimedia

GRAS Program Origins and Its Evolution Over Time

Originally created through a 1958 amendment, GRAS was meant for common ingredients like salt and vinegar. But in 1997, the FDA, facing funding and staffing shortages, made the program voluntary. Since then, many additives have entered the food supply without FDA evaluation. In some cases, like brominated vegetable oil (BVO), the FDA took decades to act—even after initially revoking its GRAS status in 1970. PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay

States Take Action Amid Federal Delays on Food Additives

With federal delays, some states have taken matters into their own hands. California banned BVO, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye No. 3 in 2023, citing links to cancer and other serious health risks. The FDA finally banned red dye No. 3 in January 2024—over three decades after cancer risks in animals were discovered. DreiKubik / Pixabay

Industry Voices Support for Dialogue Amid Proposed Changes

Industry representatives argue that the current GRAS system enables innovation, though Consumer Brands Association CEO Melissa Hockstad described a recent meeting with Kennedy as “constructive” and said the industry is open to “continued engagement,” according to an email CNN reportedly received.

As the FDA faces pressure to overhaul the food additive system, the outcome could reshape how food safety is governed in the U.S.—but only if regulatory bodies are given the tools to enforce it. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images