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THENATIONALPULSE (Pulse Wires) - MAHA: RFK Jr. Moves to Close Loophole Letting Unapproved Chemicals Into Food Supply.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a plan to close a decades-old loophole that has allowed food companies to add certain chemicals to products without notifying federal regulators.

PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a proposed rule on Monday that would require food companies to notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when they determine a substance is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) and provide the scientific basis for that conclusion, ending decades of self-certification with little oversight. DETAIL: Under the current system, companies can add ingredients such as preservatives, emulsifiers, and low-calorie sweeteners to ultra-processed foods without informing the FDA. The new proposal mandates notification and would give the agency 45 days for an initial review and 180 days for a more substantive one. Companies would still be allowed to use the substances while the process is…Open

How did Robert F. Kennedy Jr. characterize the impact of the current loophole on the American food supply?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated, “Industry hijacked the loophole and drove a convoy of chemical trucks through it straight into the American food supply.” He framed the move to close this loophole as part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda.
Q&A ID 2993cb6f-1504-4aa7-a15e-70d015d05754
How does the proposed change impact ultra-processed foods in the American diet?
The proposal targets a system that has allowed hundreds of ingredients into the food supply with minimal scrutiny, particularly in ultra-processed products which currently make up more than half of the average American diet.
Q&A ID 85e86acd-3638-4911-9cfc-1cdf6b538256
What is the historical context and origin of the GRAS exception mentioned in the proposal?
The GRAS exception has existed since 1958. It was originally intended for common items such as vinegar and flour, but over time, industry use of the exception expanded dramatically.
Q&A ID 2a91ac8e-0522-4e44-a265-6e971164fdb1
What are the specific review timelines outlined in the new proposal to close the GRAS loophole?
The new proposal mandates that food companies notify the FDA, which would then have 45 days for an initial review and 180 days for a more substantive review. Companies would still be permitted to use the substances while the review process is underway.
Q&A ID cdb24e3e-d30b-45ee-86b1-c2d094bc2658
How does the current GRAS system allow food companies to operate without notifying federal regulators?
Under the current system, companies can add ingredients such as preservatives, emulsifiers, and low-calorie sweeteners to ultra-processed foods without informing the FDA by utilizing a decades-old loophole. This allows for self-certification where substances are added to the food supply with minimal federal scrutiny.
Q&A ID 93854c78-2f9c-4bb7-806a-6645a01ce2f2
What is the proposed rule announced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding food additives?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unveiled a proposed rule that would require food companies to notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when they determine a substance is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) and require them to provide the scientific basis for that conclusion. This is intended to end decades of self-certification with little oversight.
Q&A ID 39468996-9bb8-43f0-af94-367fbeb9eb50

JUSTTHENEWS (The Center Square Staff) - DOGE unable to substantiate much of its claimed savings: GAO report

DOGE's website reports $215 billion in total savings across all categories, including asset sales, workforce reductions and regulatory changes. That figure has not changed since Jan. 1. It is a fraction of the $2 trillion Elon Musk initially suggested.

AMERICANALMANAC (Alan Benson) - Jane Fonda and a Google billionaire's wife fight California housing reform — from mansions worth millions

Actress Jane Fonda and Wendy Schmidt, wife of Google co-founder Eric Schmidt, are bankrolling a campaign to block a popular ballot measure that would cut red tape on housing construction in a state where the median home just hit a record $930,000. The two women launched their "No on 45" campaign in Sacramento on Wednesday, […] The post Jane Fonda and a Google billionaire's wife fight California housing reform — from mansions worth millions appeared first on American Almanac .

Actress Jane Fonda and Wendy Schmidt, wife of Google co-founder Eric Schmidt, are bankrolling a campaign to block a popular ballot measure that would cut red tape on housing construction in a state where the median home just hit a record $930,000. The two women launched their "No on 45" campaign in Sacramento on Wednesday, rallying opposition to Proposition 45, a measure that would limit environmental reviews and court-imposed delays on housing, infrastructure, water, healthcare, and clean energy projects across California. Fonda, 88, and Schmidt, 71, are working through Clean and Healthy California, an environmental PAC that Schmidt seeded with more than $5 million and that has poured $7 million since June into defeating the measure. They…Open

AMERICANGREATNESS (AG News Staff) - FDA Panel Backs Wider Access to Six Peptide Therapies, Citing Grey Market Concerns

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel has voted to recommend expanding legal access to six popular peptide compounds. Supporters say could pull patients […] Source

NYTIMES (Rebecca F. Elliott and Jamie Kelter Davis) - Why Restarting a Nuclear Power Plant Can Be Much Harder Than Expected

The first U.S. attempt at reopening a shuttered reactor has been held back by run-down equipment and a lack of planning.

NPR (Rachel Treisman) - Trump allies could weaken historic preservation rules to fast-track federal projects

A council packed with Trump appointees is poised to rewrite historic preservation rules. Critics say that could help him build his D.C. arch faster — and endanger important sites across the country.