The US Food and Drug Administration will consider removing the generally recognised as safe (GRAS) status of several refined carbohydrates, including corn syrup, following a petition review.
In remarks reported by Reuters, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. said the agency will evaluate a petition submitted last August by former FDA commissioner David Kessler.
The request seeks to remove corn syrup and various sweeteners and starches from the GRAS category.
The GRAS designation, established by the US Congress in 1958, permits certain food ingredients to be used without a full federal safety evaluation, allowing manufacturers to determine safety independently.
According to the news agency’s report, Kennedy and Kessler contend that this approach has allowed processed ingredients to become widely used without adequate oversight.
Kennedy stated that he plans to close what he described as a loophole in the GRAS framework, subject to the White House approval.
Kessler, who led the FDA between 1990 and 1997, previously attempted to bring tobacco under FDA regulation during his tenure, a move that did not succeed but intensified scrutiny of the tobacco sector.
He is now calling for a comparable regulatory stance towards large food companies.
Kennedy’s focus on processed foods and artificial dyes has been a key element of his time in office.
Last month, the Trump administration issued updated dietary guidance recommending higher protein intake and reduced sugar consumption, alongside avoiding highly processed foods.
Earlier this month, the FDA launched a broad re-evaluation of the food preservative butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and issued a Request for Information to support the review.
The agency said it will assess whether BHA remains safe under its existing conditions of use in food and as a food contact substance, taking into account the most recent scientific evidence.
