US agency did not perform safety checks of more than 100 food ingredients, analysis finds

Source: The Guardian

Sat 7 Mar 2026 08.00 EST
Last modified on Sat 7 Mar 2026 15.33 EST


More than 100 substances widely used in common US foods, supplements and beverages underwent no health and safety review by the US Food and Drug Administration, a new analysis of federal records finds.

The review of FDA records by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) non-profit reveals that diverse products across the food pyramid, such as Capri Sun drinks, Kettle and Fire organic broth, Acme smoked fish, and Quaker Oats snack bars, use a range of substances that have not undergone review by regulators.

Companies are using the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) rule that was developed in 1958 to allow ingredients such as salt or white vinegar to be used without a burdensome and needless review process. But companies are increasingly exploiting the rule and sending potentially dangerous new chemicals or substances into the food system without scrutiny, EWG found. Some of these have caused health problems. In 2022, food made with the GRAS ingredient tara flour was believed to have caused over 300 illnesses and 113 hospitalizations.

The report is “a wake-up call for every American who assumes the FDA is reviewing the safety of chemicals in their food”, said Melanie Benesh, a report co-author and EWG’s vice president for government affairs. “Instead, food and chemical companies are exploiting a loophole to keep both the government and the public in the dark,” Benesh said.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/07/fda-food-product-safety-checks-substances