In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Daniel Aaron discuss the inadequate oversight of food additives by the FDA, particularly the agency's GRAS or “Generally Recognized as Safe” process, which allows unsafe additives to reach the market without proper scrutiny. Dr. Aaron highlights industry conflicts of interest, the lack of reporting requirements, the need for stricter regulation to protect public health, and discusses what is needed for the FDA to be better able to make impactful changes. 

 

 Key Takeaways:

• The majority of food additives in the US are not vetted by the FDA. Since 1958, food additives have been presumed safe until proven otherwise. 

• The Clean Eating movement in the US is indicative of the skepticism of the American food supply. 

• While the FDA used to maintain a list of GRAS substances, today, reporting to the FDA is not required. 

• Europe uses a more precautionary approach to food additives. The EFSA must approve all chemical substances prior to their use in foods. 

• Food additives are known to cause synergistic harm. However, the FDA poorly regulates single additives so it is not surprising that its consideration of interacting chemicals is insufficient.

 

"The FDA is the most accountable to corporate power. The largest impediment, in my view, to food regulation is funding. FDA’s Food Center has been underfunded for decades. Further funding from Congress is needed, but our legislators often are supported by industry that doesn't necessarily want a more robust review of food additives." —  Daniel Aaron, M.D., J.D.

 

Episode References: 

• Bystanders to a Public Health Crisis: The Failures of the U.S. Multi-Agency Regulatory Approach to Food Safety in the Face of Persistent Organic Pollutants by Katya S. Cronin: https://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/faculty_publications/1725/ 

• EFSA: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en 

• FDA Food Center: https://www.fda.gov/food 

 

Connect with Daniel Aaron, M.D., J.D.:

Professional Bio: https://faculty.utah.edu/u6052921-DANIEL_G_AARON/hm/index.hml 

Email: [email protected] 

 

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: [email protected]

 

 

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