The Food and Drug Administration is implementing a “bold food agenda” that will strengthen oversight of chemicals in our food supply. The agenda has two new initiatives: finalization of its food chemical safety post-market assessment program and reassessing the food additives butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide (ADA).
Food chemical safety post-market assessment program
The food chemical safety post-market assessment program takes a deeper dive into the safety of chemicals already found in the nation’s food supply. The agency says it will now use a more “transparent, systematic and science-based” process to do a post-market reassessment of chemicals when new scientific evidence or consumer concerns emerge.
At Citizens for Health, we believe consumers need to be confident that food ingredients are being evaluated using the best available science; not outdated assumptions. If implemented, the FDA’s new post-market assessment program will allow for greater consumer transparency and a modern approach to food chemical safety. It’s an approach we support.
The move reflects one of the agency’s biggest changes in food chemical oversight in decades and adds more scrutiny on preservatives, additives, colorings, packaging chemicals, and substances that have been generally recognized as safe (GRAS). Self-affirmed GRAS designations have allowed many ingredients used in foods and dietary supplements to come to market without prior federal approval. There is a history of reliable, safe ingredient use.
Targeted look at BHT and ADA
The FDA is also planning to take a closer look at BHT and ADA, chemicals currently found in many processed foods. BHT is used to prevent spoilage of fats and oils and can be found in many foods including breakfast cereals and meat products, for example. ADA is used as a whitening agent in cereal flour and as a dough conditioner in breadmaking, for instance.
The FDA said the new evaluation process will improve consumer transparency through greater public participation and more frequent updates on chemicals under review. The agency plans to publish ongoing lists of substances being evaluated and explain how decisions are made.
The agency will continue to provide regular updates on the progress of ongoing assessments through the FDA’s List of Select Chemicals in the Food Supply Under FDA Review.
If implemented effectively, the FDA’s new assessment system could lead to stronger oversight, removal of unsafe ingredients and better ingredient transparency. For you, that could mean healthier food choices and greater confidence in what is on your store shelves.
The FDA is looking for your input. Add your comments before the end of the public comment period for the BHT and ADA closes on July 13, 2026.
Writing was completed by Citizens for Health, with some AI-supported research.
