Key facts
- U.S. health officials are proposing a new rule for food additive notification.
- The proposed rule requires food manufacturers to notify regulators before introducing new ingredients.
- The FDA aims to close an information gap and enhance postmarket safety oversight.
- A plan to close a loophole allowing chemicals in food without federal notification is expected.
- A decision on defining 'ultra-processed foods' has been postponed.
- President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Monday.
- The executive order seeks to increase flexibility and research related to vaccines.
- The order may address spacing out childhood immunizations.
- The order may consider separating the MMR vaccine into three doses.
U.S. health officials, including U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are proposing a new rule to enhance oversight of food additives. The proposed rule would require food manufacturers to notify regulators before introducing new ingredients or additives into processed foods. This initiative aims to close a significant information gap and improve postmarket safety oversight of food products. The FDA is also expected to announce a plan specifically targeting a loophole that currently allows certain chemicals to be present in food without prior federal notification.
While the FDA is moving forward with increased notification requirements for food ingredients, particularly those used under the Generally Recognized As Safe (Gras) pathway, a decision on defining 'ultra-processed foods' has been postponed. This delay has drawn criticism from experts concerned about transparency and public health.