### Kennedy Pledges Crackdown on Food Additives Amid Health Concerns

In a move poised to shake up the food industry, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's choice for the nation's top health role, has committed to removing harmful chemicals from America's food supply. This initiative comes amid rising worries about the health impacts of food additives, which are used to improve flavor, texture, color, and shelf life in many ultra-processed foods.

Surprisingly, it’s often not the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that decides if these chemical additives are safe. Instead, the companies that manufacture and sell products containing these additives generally make that determination. This regulatory loophole has led to a significant influx of unapproved additives into the American food supply, sometimes with severe health consequences. For instance, two years ago, a harmful additive known as tara flour sickened hundreds and hospitalized at least 130 people.

Public awareness and concern about these issues are growing, with more politicians and lawmakers advocating for stricter regulations. Kennedy has vowed to overhaul federal food regulations as part of his campaign to "Make America Healthy Again." Meanwhile, states like New York and Illinois are considering new rules to more rigorously control food additives.

"The average consumer would absolutely assume that new preservatives, ingredients, and flavors are all checked out by the FDA before they arrive on our supermarket shelves," noted Pieter Cohen, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "That’s what’s commonly believed. But it’s a false narrative."

Federal law mandates that the FDA ensures the safety of all food ingredients. However, additives designated as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) can bypass the premarket approval process. Originally intended for common household ingredients like oil, vinegar, and baking soda, the GRAS designation now allows companies to self-certify the safety of new additives without FDA oversight. This process often lacks transparency and involves panels of experts selected and paid by the companies themselves, creating potential conflicts of interest.

Thomas Galligan, a principal scientist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, emphasized that the food industry largely decides what is safe to eat without FDA input. An analysis by the Environmental Working Group found that 98.7 percent of the approximately 766 new food chemicals introduced since 2000 were not FDA-approved.

The FDA acknowledges this gap, noting that under current federal laws, they can’t compel companies to share information on GRAS ingredients. "The food industry is responsible for ensuring the safety of the ingredients they use in foods before they go to market," an FDA spokesperson stated.

Calls for transparency are echoed by food industry representatives. Anna Rosales, senior director of government affairs and nutrition for the Institute of Food Technologists, stressed the need for a transparent approval process to build public trust and ensure consumer confidence.

A stark example of the risks posed by the current system emerged when nearly 400 people fell ill after consuming a ground beef substitute from Daily Harvest, which contained tara flour. The FDA later determined this flour was an unapproved additive, lacking sufficient data to be considered GRAS.

As scrutiny of food additives intensifies, some state and federal lawmakers are pushing for reform to better protect consumers and ensure the safety of the food supply.