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FDA To Reassess Safety Of Processed Ingredients Amid GRAS Debate. U.S. health regulators are set to review the safety status of dozens of processed refined carbohydrates, after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the Food and Drug Administration will consider removing them from the “Generally Recognized as Safe” list. Kennedy confirmed the FDA will act on a petition filed by former FDA Commissioner David Kessler, which calls for corn syrup and other sweeteners and starches to lose their GRAS designation unless companies can prove they are safe and not contributing to obesity and other health problems. The GRAS classification, introduced in 1958, allows food manufacturers to self-certify certain ingredients as safe without undergoing a full government review. Kennedy criticized the system as a loophole that permits ultraprocessed ingredients to enter the food supply without sufficient oversight, saying Americans currently have no reliable way of knowing whether such products are truly safe. He stated that closing the loophole would require White House approval but argued the FDA should have examined these concerns long ago. The Consumer Brands Association defended the current framework, saying companies follow science-based risk evaluations and that the GRAS process supports innovation while ensuring ingredient safety. The trade group also expressed willingness to work with regulators to improve transparency and update the system if needed. Kessler, who led the FDA from 1990 to 1997, previously attempted to regulate tobacco through the agency and now believes a similar public-health shift is needed regarding ultraprocessed foods. Kennedy’s broader campaign has targeted artificial dyes and highly processed products, aligning with new dietary guidelines from the Trump administration, .encouraging Americans to consume more protein, less sugar and fewer processed foods. However, Kennedy clarified he is not currently proposing sweeping new regulations, emphasizing instead the need for greater public awareness so consumers can make informed choices.
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