FDA to Prioritize Food Chemical Safety Reviews by Health Risk

Food preservatives, dyes, and other edible chemicals available to consumers are set for increased scrutiny from federal regulators under a new postmarket safety review plan the FDA released Tuesday prioritizing substances posing a possible public health threat.

Factors that make the Food and Drug Administration likelier to review an additive’s safety include whether it could cause health issues including cancer or hormone disruption, increased use of the chemical in foods, or if the additive is consumed by “susceptible subpopulations” such as infants, according to the agency’s new finalized framework for reassessing food chemicals.

The agency’s latest effort to increase its ...