All articles tagged with #gras
An Environmental Working Group analysis of FDA records finds 111 GRAS substances used in foods, beverages and supplements have not undergone safety review, cited in products from Capri Sun to Quaker Oats. GRAS is a voluntary self-certification path that can let potentially unsafe ingredients reach the market, prompting calls for the FDA to close the loophole and require transparent safety data.
Health Secretary RFK Jr. proposes closing the GRAS loophole and forcing companies like Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks to prove safety data for their ingredients, part of a broader push to tighten FDA oversight of food additives and ensure items marketed to teens are safe; the plan has drawn skepticism given RFK Jr.’s controversial past on nutrition and the political context surrounding its rollout.
Health Secretary RFK Jr. says the FDA will act on a petition to overhaul how ultra-processed foods are evaluated, potentially challenging the GRAS status of sweeteners; however, he cautions that action may not mean immediate new regulations and emphasizes informing the public about what they're eating.
60 Minutes reports RFK Jr. claims the FDA's GRAS exemption lets food manufacturers certify ingredients as safe without full government review, fueling a surge in ultraprocessed foods and potential health problems. He advocates revoking GRAS status for problematic refined carbohydrates unless proven safe, while experts warn about obesity and cardiometabolic disease. The piece also discusses subsidies shaping the food system and notes a related lawsuit against several manufacturers.