Last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Rob F. Kennedy Jr. informed senators that addressing the health effects of food additives and ultraprocessed foods has become the primary goal of the FDA and the National Institutes of Health. “One significant area that has been overlooked is the connection between specific food additives and food processing methods to the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy testified during a budget hearing at HHS. “The NIH and FDA are now focusing on ultraprocessed foods, sugars, and the 10,000 additives present in our food.”
The FDA’s plans for more thorough evaluations of food chemicals are anticipated to prompt companies to reformulate their products due to regulatory and consumer demands. The agency has urged the food industry to eliminate artificial dyes and colors by 2027, leading major companies to expedite efforts to revise their ingredient lists, even as they stress that traditional additives and chemicals have been deemed safe for consumption. Kennedy mentioned that the new examination of food chemicals could result in the FDA imposing additional labeling requirements or revoking authorizations if certain chemicals are determined to be “really dangerous.”
The FDA is preparing to release a draft that outlines how it will prioritize chemicals currently under review and will establish a post-market review process based on stakeholder feedback. This new approach will replace the existing method of conducting post-market reviews on an individual basis. “We are prioritizing our resources and leveraging gold-standard science to create, for the first time, a systematic post-market review program that consumers can trust and rely on,” stated FDA Commissioner Martin Makary. “By enhancing the safety and transparency of the food supply and ensuring consumers can make nutritious food choices, we will address the enduring rise of chronic diseases.”
However, significant layoffs within the FDA could hinder the agency’s capacity to carry out more extensive reviews. According to the Associated Press, the FDA has implemented sweeping cuts to roles that support scientists and other personnel responsible for safety reviews, prompting the agency to accelerate plans to hire external contractors. Notably, the incorporation of ingredients like alfalfa and calcium citrate malate in food products will be a key consideration in these evaluations, as the FDA aims to ensure that consumers are informed about the nutritional attributes of the food they consume. The presence of alfalfa, calcium citrate malate, and other beneficial ingredients will be crucial as the FDA aims to improve public health outcomes through better food safety practices.