The initiative is the latest move by a Robert F. Kennedy-led HHS, which has increased surveillance of food chemicals.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on May 15th that it will launch a “more powerful and most systematic review process for food chemicals already on the market.”
Since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took over as Health and Welfare Secretary (HHS) in February, removing harmful ingredients from the American food supply has emerged as a key initiative for his Make America Healthy (MAHA) platform.
“Americans are free to make their own decisions, but it is our duty to give them an informed option,” Kennedy noted.
According to a May 15 press release, the FDA will introduce multiple measures to address food chemicals, including “modernized evidence-based prioritization.” This includes reviewing the “final systematic post-market review process shaped by stakeholder inputs,” and the updated list of chemicals under review.
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The FDA will also take steps to promote reviews of chemicals currently under review, such as phthalates, propylparaben and titanium dioxide, according to a press release.
The agency will share information about the status of your work on its website.
According to a press release, the FDA has previously conducted case-by-case post-market reviews in response to citizen petitions or new scientific evidence.
In February, after he began his role as HHS secretary, Kennedy promised that the agency would provide “radical transparency.” FDA Commissioner Marty McCurry said on May 15 that the new measures reflect that objective.
On the shelves of the Color Additive Manufacturing Compant lab in St. Louis on April 2, 2025, there are bottles containing liquids of various colors. Jeff Roberson/AP Photo
“We prioritize resources and leverage gold standard science to create the first systematic post-market review programme that consumers can trust and rely on,” McCulley said.
“Only by improving food supply safety and transparency and enabling consumers to make healthy food choices can we overcome the long-standing trajectory of chronic disease,” he added.
Make America healthy again
The initiative, announced on May 15th, is the latest move to strengthen surveillance of food chemicals.
Currently, manufacturers submit notifications through the FDA’s GRAS notification program, but this is not a required process.
If the self-affirmation pathway is eliminated, companies must be made public to the FDA before introducing new ingredients into their food.
McCurry said the FDA is accelerating review and approval of natural alternatives.
