The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning a major overhaul of the way food additives are reviewed for safety.
The move, announced on Thursday, will be a “major step to increase transparency and ensure the safety of chemicals in our food,” according to a statement made by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“No parent should ever worry about what’s in their child’s food,” Kennedy said in a statement.
“We’re taking decisive action and using every authority we have to clean up the food supply and protect American families.”
The new process will include a “modernized, evidence-based prioritization scheme” for existing chemicals, a “systematic post-market review process” for food chemicals that will be “shaped by stakeholder input,” and the development of an “updated list of chemicals under review.”
Chemicals subject to review include BHA and BHA, which are used as preservatives; ADA, a foaming agent added to sandwiches; phthalates; propylparaben, a preservative; and titanium dioxide. These chemicals have all been linked to chronic diseases, including reproductive harms and cancer.
The new review process will be rolled out over the coming months.
Health advocates have hailed the changes. Kendall Mackintosh, a member “MAHA Moms” movement, said they were “a long-overdue and necessary step in the right direction.”
“The announcement signals progress toward more transparency and accountability, and I’m hopeful this opens the door for deeper systemic reform,” Mackintosh added.
The FDA is also looking to eliminate its Generally Recognized as Safe loophole, which allows companies to self-regulate additives and use them in the food supply without independent testing.
In April, HHS announced it would phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from U.S. foods and medications.