The Trump administration proposed a rule Monday requiring food manufacturers to notify the Food and Drug Administration of all ingredients introduced through the "generally recognized as safe" pathway, a move aimed at closing a regulatory loophole that allowed companies to add substances to foods without federal oversight.
Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said the proposal would convert the GRAS framework from a voluntary program into a mandatory notification system. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Americans have a right to transparency about what is in their food. Critics, however, argue the rule does not prevent companies from adding new ingredients or remove thousands of additives already in the food supply. The food industry has opposed the reform.
Kennedy also announced that a definition of ultra-processed foods is in final review, though details have not been released. The FDA recently banned additives including Red No. 3 and brominated vegetable oil over health concerns.