Trump Administration Proposes Mandatory FDA Food Ingredient Notifications

The Trump administration proposed a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule to eliminate the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) loophole, which currently allows food companies to determine the safety of new ingredients without federal notification. The proposed regulation would transition the GRAS framework from a voluntary program to a mandatory notification system, requiring companies to provide the FDA with identity and use data for ingredients, including flavors and emulsifiers, before they are used in food.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, is leading this overhaul of federal food policy to combat the American chronic disease epidemic and childhood obesity. While the rule aims to create a public listing of substances for greater scrutiny, Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas clarified that the agency lacks the authority to require approval before use or block ingredients from the market without congressional action.

Simultaneously, the administration delayed the release of a promised federal definition for ultraprocessed foods. The definition, being developed as a white paper focusing on cosmetic ingredients, has faced lobbying from food industry executives who argue it would increase business costs and invite litigation. Acting Commissioner Diamantas confirmed the proposed definition has been submitted for final review to the White House budget office to provide a foundation for future nutrition research.