US agency did not perform safety checks of more than 100 food ingredients, analysis finds | US news
More than 100 substances commonly used in U.S. foods, supplements and beverages have not undergone any health and safety review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. a new analysis federal records findings.
A review of FDA records by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) reveals that several products in the food pyramid, such as Capri Sun beverages, Kettle and Fire organic broth, Acme smoked fish, and Quaker Oats snack bars, use a range of substances that have not been scrutinized by regulators.
Companies use the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) rule, developed in 1958, to allow the use of ingredients such as salt or white vinegar without a burdensome and unnecessary review process.
But EWG found that companies are increasingly taking advantage of this rule and sending potentially dangerous new chemicals or substances into the food system without review. Some of these caused health problems. Foods made this way in 2022 Tara flour containing GRAS It was believed to have caused more than 300 illnesses and 113 hospitalizations.
Melanie Benesh, co-author of the report and EWG’s vice president of government affairs, said the report is “a wake-up call for every American who assumed the FDA was reviewing the safety of chemicals in their food.”
“Instead, food and chemical companies are exploiting a loophole to keep both the government and the public in the dark,” Benesh said.
The investigation found 111 substances of unknown safety, and the figure is likely higher; However, the absence of a safety review does not necessarily mean that a component is dangerous. The substances are used by popular brands such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, PepsiCo and Casita, according to federal records reviewed by EWG.
GRAS is not the only way some chemicals are approved. For example, food colorants or chemicals added to packaging may enter the food system through a different route and are not included in the report.
GRAS requires companies to demonstrate that a new food ingredient is safe by ensuring: widely accepted scientific evidence This is public information. EWG wrote that reporting this safety data to the FDA ensures regulatory compliance, but it is also optional; Manufacturers can legally determine whether their products are safe.
Meanwhile, some companies are pushing the boundaries of “widely accepted” science and providing limited data or review from a small number of scientists assembled by the companies, Benesh said.
The investigation cross-checked its findings with data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture because the companies did not report which products the substances were used in. FoodData Central database, which provides publicly available ingredient information for nearly 4,000 products.
The database showed 49 of 111 substances that were not reported. These include many plants known to be potentially dangerous, such as aloe vera extract, which has been linked to cancer if ingested and is banned in some medications due to its toxicity.
The research revealed 22 extracts, including those from mushrooms, green tea, cinnamon and cocoa. Although these ingredients appear to be soothing and offer additional nutritional value, extraction changes the chemical composition. Maricel Maffini, an independent food safety consultant and co-author of the report, said the substances did not carry the same nutritional benefit and their effect on the body was often unknown.
Benesh noted that the extract can be obtained with a toxic environment such as benzene or methyl chloride, and the situation raises “complex questions” that are not always answered in GRAS.
“From a regulatory standpoint, you really want someone who understands the science to ask questions and make sure the food is safe before it goes to market,” Benesh said.
Compounds called catechins found in green tea leaves have been linked to lowering cancer rates and other health benefits. However, the identified purified extract form More than 900 productshappened linked heart and brain disorders, fetal leukemia, suppression of estrogenand liver, kidney, and intestinal toxicity.
Mushrooms are considered a powerful nutritional source, but some mushroom extracts have been linked to liver inflammation. Found report 428 items He used a type of mushroom extract. The FDA told companies in 2024 to stop using a type of mushroom extract that causes people to hallucinate and other nervous system problems, but it remains available in supplements.
The report notes how cola manufacturers used GRAS for caffeine, but it was added to spirits like Four Loko in the early 2000s. After a series of injuries and a deathThe FDA effectively banned caffeine in alcoholic beverages in 2010.
“This is not a theoretical exercise; this has real-life consequences,” Maffini said.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. secretary of health and human services, whose “Make America Healthy Again” movement advocates fewer chemicals in the food system. he said It would close the GRAS loophole, but instead to suggest a weaker action.
Tom Neltner, executive director of the nonprofit Unleaded Kids, said the substances identified by the “impressive” EWG report likely “represent just the tip of the iceberg that is undermining our health.” He had previously worked within the framework of GRAS and other FDA food safety rules.
“The FDA, not industry, needs to review new food chemicals for safety,” Neltner said in an email. “We need Kennedy to follow through on his promise to close a deficit that undermines the integrity of our food supply.”
