What’s the political and health battle over GRAS–ingredients ‘Generally Recognized as Safe’ Chuck Dinerstein | August 25, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/08/25/whats-the-political-and-health-battle-over-gras-ingredients-generally-recognized-as-safe/ Behind every significant advance in US food safety lies a public health disaster that forced Congress to act. A regulatory carve-out, the GRAS loophole, a long-standing exception intended for harmless pantry staples, remains a pathway that allows food and supplement companies decide for themselves whether new ingredients are safe. The FDA is once again under pressure to rein in GRAS. At stake is how much the public should trust an invisible self-policing system and the forces calling for change.