Representative Rosa DeLauro, D-CT, has introduced the Toxic Free Food Act, which would require the FDA to close the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) loophole and make chemical food additives subject to FDA approval and oversight. The veteran lawmaker also submitted public comment to the Food and Drug Administration as the agency works to develop a post-market assessment system of chemicals in foods, urging the agency to close the GRAS loophole that allows companies to self-certify that new ingredients are safe for consumers and voluntarily decide whether to notify the FDA of their conclusions. “When Americans are shopping at the grocery store, they should be confident that the food they are purchasing is safe for consumption and does not contain any harmful chemical additives that could result in illness or death,” said Rep.
DeLauro. “The GRAS loophole allows companies to decide whether additives are safe to add, skirting FDA oversight and allowing potentially dangerous chemicals to reach the market. That cannot stand.
I have urged the FDA to close this loophole, and I am proud to introduce the Toxic Free Food Act to ensure that chemical food additives are subject to FDA approval.” The GRAS loophole was initially intended to cover safe ingredients, such as vegetable oil, flour, baking soda, and spices. In 1997, the FDA loosened the existing protocol, creating the “voluntary notification” system.
Now, companies can declare substances as GRAS, allowing hund.