The Trump administration on Monday proposes new rules to tighten how companies introduce new chemical ingredients into the U.S. food supply. The plan targets a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) pathway, which has allowed food and dietary supplement companies to add certain ingredients without prior FDA review, relying instead on company self-certification.
Under the proposal, manufacturers would have to notify the FDA before using new ingredients through the GRAS pathway, according to reporting from multiple outlets. NBC News characterizes the move as “first steps” to strengthen rules around ingredients that are added with minimal oversight. The Hill similarly describes the effort as closing a longstanding loophole tied to bypassing traditional government review.
While outlets agree on the basic direction of the proposal, NBC News notes critics argue it does not go far enough compared with more expansive changes that would require broader FDA review or additional limits on what can be added under GRAS.
