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US secretary of health and human services (HHS), Robert F Kennedy Jr, has called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise safety rules to eliminate the provision that allows companies to self-affirm that ingredients are safe.

Currently, the FDA encourages manufacturers to submit notices under a rule known as Substances Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS), but they can also have the option to self-affirm the use of a substance without notifying the FDA. GRAS was introduced in 1958 and was intended to be applied to safe, commonly used ingredients and was made voluntary by the FDA in 1997.

According to reporting by CNN, nearly 99% of new chemicals used in food or food packaging since 2000 were green-lit for use not by the FDA but by America's food and chemical industry.

The FDA maintains a public inventory where all notices, supporting data and response letters are available for review. Many critics of the FDA have said that self-affirming has been abused by food and drink producers in the past.

Supporters of Kennedy's proposal say that the amendment allowed food manufacturers to introduce numerous untested additives into the food supply, some of which were later found to be harmful, including brominated vegetable oil which was used in certain drinks and was declared no longer GRAS in 1970, but was not officially banned by the FDA until 2024.

In a statement, Kennedy said: “For far too long, ingredient manufacturers and sponsors have exploited a loophole that has allowed for new ingredients and chemicals, often with unknown safety data, to be introduced into the US food supply without notification to the FDA or the public.”

During the election campaign, Kennedy promised to tackle the epidemic of chronic illness with the support of President Donald Trump, with his agenda ranging from making food healthier to researching vaccinations.

Kennedy claims his proposal will increase transparency for consumers, as well as the FDA’s oversight of food ingredients that are considered safe.

Image credit: Giedre Vaitekune, Shutterstock