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US FDA finalises food chemical safety post-market assessment programme
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Saturday, 16 May, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Maryland, USA
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The US Food and Drug Administration continued to implement its bold food agenda, with two decisive actions focused on food chemical safety. First, the agency finalised its new proactive food chemical safety post-market assessment programme. Second, it launched reassessments of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide (ADA), chemical additives commonly used in a variety of food products. As part of this reassessment, the agency issued two requests for information regarding the use and safety of these chemicals in food.
Marty Makary, US FDA Commissioner, said, "Americans want the FDA to take a fresh look at some of the chemical additives that have become widespread in our food supply. By establishing a comprehensive, science-based framework for reviewing chemicals like BHT and ADA, we're delivering the rigorous oversight Americans deserve. We will act swiftly based on our findings."
Two documents will guide the FDA’s annual food chemical post-market assessment plan. The first, ‘Enhanced Systematic Process for Post-Market Assessment of Chemicals in Food’, describes how the FDA will monitor and triage signals that provide information on hazards, use, or exposure related to food chemicals, then prioritise for assessment, evaluate, and manage these chemicals in the food supply. Based on public feedback, the agency streamlined this process, incorporated additional public engagement opportunities, and provided additional details regarding how it will receive and identify potential safety signals, triage signals to determine how they should be handled, and how scientific assessments will be communicated to the public.
The second document, ‘Post-Market Assessment Prioritisation Tool’, helps identify priority food chemicals for full scientific assessment by focusing on potential risk to public health. Based on public comment and external scientific peer review, the FDA made modifications to the agency’s previously proposed method for ranking chemicals for assessment, including streamlining decisional criteria and scoring to focus on public health outcomes and increasing clarity on how the prioritisation tool fits into the FDA's overall systematic process.
Kyle Diamantas, deputy commissioner for food, said, "The release finalises our framework for this new, dedicated reassessment programme that provides Americans with confidence that the FDA is ensuring chemicals in US food supply remain safe as new scientific information becomes available. This systematic, transparent approach helps protect public health and reinforces the rigorous safety standards that protect American consumers."
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