CR delivers 115,000 signatures to FDA headquarters showing widespread public support for food additive limits and closing the GRAS loophole, as the agency accepts comments on its proposed GRAS rule through Dec. 9
COLLEGE PARK, MD — More than 115,000 people have called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to limit dangerous additives in food and close the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) loophole. Consumer Reports (CR) delivered CR and Yuka petition signatures today to the FDA inside an oversized Flamin’ Hot Cheetos box—highlighting one of several popular products that exceeded safe daily additive levels in a joint CR and Yuka investigation released this summer.
The delivery comes as the FDA’s proposed GRAS rule remains open for public comment through December 9. In a recent analysis, CR noted that the agency’s proposal “preserves the core deficiencies of the existing system” because mandatory safety reviews would apply only to new ingredients or uses, leaving existing chemicals on the market unaddressed. CR will file formal comments before the deadline.
“More than 115,000 people have joined CR in asking the FDA to limit additives in food, and this proposed rule simply doesn’t go far enough,to close the secret GRAS loophole,” said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy at Consumer Reports. “The so-called notification requirement for new ingredients is weak and it leaves roughly 1,000 existing chemicals on store shelves unscrutinized—including toxic substances CR identified in our investigations that companies self-declared safe.
The petition delivered today asks the FDA to establish a clear and transparent risk assessment methodology, regularly reassess the safety of food additives, better regulate the use of additives based on specific product categories, better account for the specific vulnerabilities of children, and close the longstanding GRAS loophole.
The petition follows CR and Yuka’s recent investigation testing over 120 samples of 40 popular processed foods. Over a third contained more additives or contaminants in a single serving than CR food safety experts consider safe for daily consumption.
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Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org