FDA proposes mandatory safety notifications for food additives

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a rule that would require food manufacturers to inform the agency whenever they classify a new ingredient as "Generally Recognized as Safe," or GRAS. The move, announced on Monday, is part of the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, which has also influenced policy on childhood vaccines.

Under current law, in place since 1958, companies can self-certify that an additive is safe without undergoing a full government review. While the FDA has long encouraged firms to submit such determinations for its records, the process has remained voluntary. The proposed rule would change that, making notification mandatory and expanding the public inventory of GRAS notices.

Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said the change is intended to "increase transparency and consumer confidence in the food supply." He described the shift as closing "a decades-old information gap."

In a related development, the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have submitted a proposed definition of "ultra-processed food" for final review. Further details on that definition are expected later.

The FDA also plans to release guidance on Tuesday aimed at reducing biological hazards for processors of fresh-cut produce. This comes amid ongoing outbreaks of salmonella and cyclosporiasis linked to lettuce and jalapenos that have sickened thousands across the country.