THE FOOD AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION OF USA. Regulates food and health -related products to ensure that they are safe for public health. Today, it is estimated that it will supervise 80% of the US food supply.
This also places the safety regulations of ingredients under the authority of the FDA. According to a law of 1958, companies that seek to introduce a new food additive in the food supply must present a request to the FDA, which causes a long process of scientific research and public comments.
However, experts say that a legal escape has allowed companies to avoid this process completely.
“We know for previous investigations that for decades of decades, thousands of ingredients are added to the supply of food without the FDA knowing it,” according to Jennifer Pomeranz, associate professor of public health and management and management of the University of New York. “It is impossible to quantify because we don't really know what ingredients are added.”
“What we have seen with time is that companies are creating new ingredients, have their own scientists or hire a small group of external scientists to determine that an ingredient is safe,” said Melanie Benesh, vice president of government affairs in the Environmental Working Group. “Once they define their ingredient being safe, they do not have to go through that process prior to the market.”
The food and chemistry industry has introduced more than 750 new food additives in the food supply through this escape between 2000 and 2021, according to EWG research.
However, supporters of the food additive industry argue that all ingredients are tested with the same rigor as additives that pass through the approval process prior to the market.
“Both processes require exactly the same requirements,” said Carla Saunders, executive director of the International Food Additives Council. “There is a lot of scientific evidence necessary to ensure that these ingredients are safe, reliable and effective.”
See the video Up to find out why the FDA allows so many chemicals in the United States food supply.
