Over 10,000 chemicals are allowed in American food. Here's why

Many American foods are laden with chemical additives, some of which are banned in the European Union, as well as, Japan, Canada, and Australia. The Food and Drug Administration’s GRAS policy, which stands for Generally Recognized As Safe, is one of the main reasons why. The policy allows companies to self-declare the safety of newer, less-tested chemicals without agency oversight. Consumer groups have long expressed their frustrations about how the food supply is regulated in the U.S. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to tackle this issue as the new Health and Human Services Secretary. The FDA is currently experiencing department cuts and changes in leadership under President Donald Trump's administration. An FDA official told the AJC that the agency plans to work with the new HHS leadership to safeguard the food supply through pre-market and post-market safety evaluations of chemicals. Additional Footage: AP | Getty | Adobe | US Senate | FDA | US National Archives Additional Sources: STAT News | Politico | NPR | Center for Science in the Public Interest | Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation | Springer Nature | Nature Communications | NYU | Environmental Working Group | The New York Times