FDA tightens food chemical review process to enhance supply chain safety

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unveiled plans to step up the safety reviews of chemicals in foods to enhance the transparency of those already on the market. The agency will review chemicals such as the antioxidants BHT and BHA used to prevent fat oxidation, as well as the dough conditioner ADA used in bakery products.

The FDA will also take steps to expedite its review of chemicals currently under scrutiny, such as phthalates, propylparaben, and titanium dioxide.

The organization conducts post-market reviews case-by-case, often in response to citizen petitions or new scientific evidence. It says the new framework will be “proactive, science-based, and built for long-term impact.”

“We are prioritizing our resources and leveraging gold standard science to create, for the first time, a systematic post-market review program that consumers can trust and rely on,” says FDA commissioner Martin A. Makary.

“Only by improving the safety and transparency of the food supply and ensuring consumers can make healthful food choices will we overcome the long-standing trajectory of chronic diseases.”

Improving food chemicals

The FDA aims to roll out several key actions over the coming months, such as a modernized, evidence-based prioritization scheme for reviewing existing chemicals.

“A draft will be released for public comment soon.”

The agency also plans to release a final, systematic post-market review process based on stakeholder input.

The initiative is part of a larger initiative to improve food chemical oversight, as “Americans are demanding more transparency and accountability around food safety,” notes the FDA.

Last month, it announced plans to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the US food supply, followed by the approval of three natural colors for use in F&B formulations.

Earlier this year, the agency also targeted the process that allows companies to self-affirm substances as “generally recognized as safe” or GRAS without FDA oversight.