Secret Food Additives Investigation
A CNN investigation uncovered that chemicals of unknown safety are being added to the US food supply without FDA or public knowledge. The findings raise potential health concerns and suggest consumers should favor minimally processed foods where possible.
The "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) rule, established in 1958, is at the heart of the issue. It was originally intended to exempt common ingredients like vinegar and salt from a lengthy FDA approval process. However, companies have increasingly used a loophole in this rule to self-certify new chemicals as safe without notifying the FDA, a practice sometimes called "secret GRAS." A recent investigation by the Environmental Working Group found at least 111 substances have been added to foods and supplements sold in the U.S. without FDA review. Of these, 49 chemicals were found in approximately 4,000 products listed in the USDA's public food database. This means consumers may be unknowingly consuming chemicals whose safety has only been assessed by the company that manufactures them. This self-certification process creates a potential conflict of interest, as companies have a financial stake in their ingredients being deemed safe. The FDA is often unaware of these new additives until after they are already on the market and appearing on ingredient lists. In some cases, the public only becomes aware of potential safety issues after people get sick, as was the case with tara flour in 2022, which was linked to hundreds of illnesses. One long-standing example of a controversial additive is butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a preservative used in thousands of products from cereals to meats. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies BHA as a possible human carcinogen, and the European Union lists it as a suspected hormone-disrupting chemical. Despite a petition to the FDA to ban BHA in 1990, the agency only began reexamining its safety in February 2026. In response to growing concerns, the FDA has proposed a rule change that would require companies to submit mandatory GRAS notices before adding new substances to food. This move, hailed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aims to close the loophole and increase transparency. The proposed rule is currently under review by the White House's Office of Management and Budget. This potential overhaul of the GRAS system signals a significant shift in FDA policy, moving away from a voluntary notification system that has been in place for decades. If adopted, the new regulations could lead to increased costs and longer timelines for food companies but would provide greater federal oversight and public awareness of the chemicals in the U.S. food supply.
