Consumer group calls FDA's new food additive notification rule ineffective

For decades the FDA has relied on a voluntary self-certification system that lets manufacturers label chemicals as "Generally Recognized as Safe" without mandatory testing. A new draft rule seeks to require notification to the agency for any new additive claimed safe for consumption, yet it imposes no direct consequences if firms fail to comply, merely flagging them as higher-risk for future audits. Consumer Reports' food policy director, Brian Ronholm, describes the approach as a regulatory mirage that does not address the core oversight gap.

The rule also allows firms to withhold safety data from public disclosure and Freedom of Information Act requests, hindering independent research. Importantly, the proposal does not apply retroactively to existing GRAS substances, many of which are prohibited in other countries, such as titanium dioxide and potassium bromate. While the agency’s move signals renewed attention to additive safety, critics say it stops short of ensuring transparent, verifiable evidence of safety. The public comment period remains open as stakeholders debate the rule's effectiveness.