US health agency moves to increase oversight of food additives
XLP•Other food-safety and labeling steps
HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have also submitted a proposed definition of ultra-processed food for final review, HHS said in a press release. More details about the definition will come at a later date, Diamantas told reporters.
The FDA also plans on Tuesday to release guidance on minimizing biological hazards for processors of fresh-cut produce, Diamantas said. Ongoing outbreaks of salmonella and cyclosporiasis affecting lettuce and jalapenos have sickened thousands of people in the U.S.
Agency says the change would improve transparency
The rule is being undertaken to "increase transparency and consumer confidence in the food supply," acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said in a call with reporters.
"Shifting to a mandatory notification system closes a decades-old information gap," Diamantas said.
The FDA is accepting comments on the proposed rule for 120 days.
FDA proposes mandatory notification for GRAS ingredients
WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday took steps to increase oversight of food additives as part of the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative.
President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have worked to enact some priorities of the MAHA movement that supported Kennedy's 2024 presidential bid and later helped elect Trump, like curbing recommendations for some childhood vaccines.
The FDA on Monday issued a proposed rule that would require food manufacturers to notify the agency when they deem a food additive to be "Generally Recognized as Safe," or GRAS, according to HHS.
Since 1958, food companies have been permitted to self-affirm that food ingredients are safe without a full government review. Some common GRAS ingredients include canola oil, black pepper and vinegar, according to an FDA webpage.
