HHS Seeks to Tighten Oversight of Food Additives, Ingredients

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Aug. 10 announced a proposed rule to end food manufacturers’ practice of making “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) determinations without notifying the Food and Drug Administration.

The rule seeks to close a decades-old information gap, transitioning from a voluntary to a mandatory notification program. It will require any person introducing GRAS additives into the food supply to notify the FDA.

“It would give FDA greater visibility into the substances used in human and animal food, enabling us to more efficiently, knowledgeably, and timely regulate the safety of our nation’s food supply,” FDA Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said.

HHS and the Department of Agriculture also submitted for final review the federal government’s first definition of ultra-processed foods, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said.

“These two actions will change how the federal government oversees what’s in our food and how we understand the foods that Americans eat,” he added.

This is a developing story and will be updated.