FDA proposes expanding food chemical exemption without safety review

The United States Food and Drug Administration is proposing to expand an exemption that permits toxic chemicals to be added directly to food without a safety review. According to the Guardian, health campaigners and experts have raised alarms over the regulatory plan. [1]

The rule involves the threshold of regulation exemption. The Guardian reported that this loophole currently allows dangerous substances in food contact materials, including packaging and processing equipment, provided the chemicals are not carcinogenic and remain below 0.5 parts per billion. [1]

Under the new proposal, the exemption would cover substances added directly to food products rather than just food packaging materials. The Guardian reported that the proposed change applies to dangerous compounds as long as they are not classified as carcinogenic. [1]

Efforts to regulate exposure to toxic chemicals in consumer goods have long been a focus of public health legislation. California voters passed Proposition 65 in 1986 by a 63 percent to 37 percent margin to protect drinking water and reduce exposures to chemicals causing cancer or birth defects through public warning requirements. [2]