MAHA-style bill would close food additive safety loophole

MAHA-style bill would close food additive safety loophole

With deregulation-focused Republicans in Congress reluctant to fulfill the industry-wary goals of the Make America Healthy Again initiative, some Democrats are taking up the torch.

Health and environmental activists have sounded the alarm for decades over the considerable leeway the Food and Drug Administration gives American corporations who profit from adding their chemical products to a host of consumer goods, including food.

Rep. Frank Pallone’s, D-N.J., newly introduced legislation would close the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) loophole, a voluntary disclosure system which allows companies to self-certify the safety of their own food and cosmetic additives, bypassing FDA’s pre-market testing and review.

Pallone’s Grocery Reform And Safety Act (GRAS Act) would require companies to provide the FDA with scientific evidence of their products’ safety before release onto the market or in consumer products. It would also authorize updated safety evaluations of food additives, color additives and substances currently labeled as GRAS every three years. Companies would have to shoulder at least part of FDA’s reassessment expenses.

“With kids across the country heading back to school, parents shouldn’t have to worry that the food in their lunch boxes or in their cafeterias contains chemicals that were never reviewed for safety. Parents deserve to know the food they’re buying for their families is safe,” Pallone said.

“Unfortunately, a law that is more than fifty years old is being used as a loophole by companies to evade scrutiny of the chemicals they’re putting in our food,” he added. “That’s not how food safety should work, especially when it comes to products our kids eat every day.”

Some food additives of concern that would fall under the legislation’s purview include BHA, BHT and ADA, all banned in the European Union.

BHA and BHT are added to foods like cereal as a preservative and food oils to keep them from going rancid. BHA caused tumor growth in multiple animal studies and is a suspected human carcinogen, while BHT damaged the liver and kidneys in animal studies.

ADA, or azodicarbonamide, is added to flour and bread as a whitening agent or dough conditioner, respectively. It is also used to make yoga mats and foam insulation. ADA fully breaks down into the chemicals semicarbazide and urethane, both suspected carcinogens.

Consumer protection and health advocates praised Pallone’s legislation, which Rutgers University Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Emily Barrett, saying the bill will shift the burden of avoiding harmful dietary exposures from the consumer to companies.

“Food is a leading source of exposure to numerous chemicals that can harm our health including forever chemicals, phthalates, pesticides, and more,” Barrett said. “It is time to enact policies that can protect everyone’s health by keeping harmful chemicals out of our food.”

While some MAHA-supportive Republicans may vote for the bill, many others will likely object to the legislation due to the regulatory burden it would place on companies. Federal website GovTrack, which monitors U.S. legislation, predicts the bill has only a 3% chance of becoming law.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

will-county-board

Capital Improvements & IT Committee Briefs

Bed donation program: Will County donated old beds from Sunny Hill Nursing Home to Joliet Junior College and Project Cure after the nursing home received all new beds for residents....
Meeting Briefs

Manhattan Village Board Briefs

Banks Farm Development: The village board approved six separate resolutions demanding payment on letters of credit for various phases of the Banks Farm Development Villas of Prairie Trails project, covering...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic

Frankfort Board Approves New Wendy’s on Route 30 With Numerous Modifications

A new Wendy's restaurant is set to be built at the northwest corner of U.S. Route 30 and Frankfort Square Road after the Frankfort Village Board unanimously approved the project...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic

Historic Downtown Frankfort Property Granted Deck and Patio Variances

The owners of a historic mixed-use building in downtown Frankfort have received approval for six zoning variances to construct a new paver patio and a second-floor rear deck. The Frankfort...
MH 114 June 2

Manhattan School Board Approves Staff Changes, Healthcare Extension in Special Session

Manhattan School District 114's Board of Education approved several personnel changes and a healthcare extension during a special meeting Monday evening, conducting most of its business in closed session. The...
Frankfort-Village-Board-Meeting-Graphic

Frankfort Approves $1.3 Million in Bills, Including Annual Insurance Payment

The Frankfort Village Board authorized over $1.3 million in payments at its meeting Monday, with nearly half of the total amount covering the village's annual insurance premiums. Trustees unanimously approved...
Meeting Briefs

School District 114 June 2 Meeting Briefs

Staff Departures: Manhattan School District 114 accepted the resignations of Emily Corcoran and Caroline Pesa-Miller, both effective at the end of the 2025 school year. The board approved both resignations...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Briefs: Frankfort Village Board for June 2, 2025

Wendy's Project Approved with Multiple Variances: The Village Board gave final approval for a new Wendy's restaurant at U.S. Route 30 and Frankfort Square Road. The project required a major change...
frankfort-park-district.1

Frankfort Park Board Holds Closed-Door Talks on Five Oaks HOA Dispute

The Frankfort Park District Board of Commissioners entered into a closed executive session on Tuesday, May 27, to discuss pending litigation concerning the Five Oaks Park parcel, signaling a deepening...
MH VB 5--22

Manhattan Board Changes Meeting Time, Limits Public Comment

Village moves to 5:30 p.m. start time and reduces speaking period from five to three minutes The Village of Manhattan Board of Trustees approved two ordinance changes Tuesday that will...
MH VB 5--22

Manhattan Challenges Neighboring Villages to Pop Tab Competition

Community fundraising effort for Ronald McDonald House expands to include multiple villages The Village of Manhattan has officially challenged neighboring communities to a summer-long pop tab collection competition benefiting the...
Meeting Briefs

Manhatttan Village Board Meeting Briefs

MUNICIPAL UPDATES Memorial Day Services Planned: The I Honor Banner Ceremony will take place Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Manhattan Township Building, 230 S. Wabash Street. The ceremony dedicates...
Frankfort-Township-Logo-Graphic

Frankfort Township Approves Employee Raises, Details Major Infrastructure and Service Projects

Frankfort Township employees will receive a 2.5% cost-of-living pay increase after the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the adjustment at its Monday, May 19 meeting. The move came as Supervisor...
MFPD-Logo-Fire District

Fire Station Construction Bids Due June 3, Storm Generates 40 Emergency Calls

The Manhattan Fire Protection District has received strong interest from contractors for its new fire station project, with construction bids due back June 3 and groundbreaking still targeted for July....
Frankfort-Township-Logo-Graphic

New High-End Bar ‘Ace & Vine’ Gets Green Light from Township Board

A new bar focused on high-end liquor and an extensive wine collection is one step closer to opening in Frankfort Township after the Board of Trustees voted to recommend a...