The sneaky way companies get new chemicals into our food
4 hours ago
- #chemical additives
- #regulatory loophole
- #food safety
- Over 99% of chemicals currently in food were added without FDA approval, often secretly through a loophole in the 1958 Food Additives Amendment.
- The loophole, formalized by the FDA in the 1990s, allows food and chemical companies to self-certify new additives as safe, bypassing direct FDA review.
- Chemicals introduced this way are found in diverse products like chocolate, smoked fish, tea bags, protein drinks, popcorn, and seeds.
- The situation highlights tensions between safety and innovation in the U.S., raising questions about regulatory capacity and corporate accountability.
- Legal efforts are emerging to challenge this loophole, though the scope of their impact remains uncertain.