FDA Failure? Unpacking Toxic Chemicals in Your Food - AI Podcast
Story at-a-glance
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows U.S. food companies to use nearly 1,000 chemicals banned in Europe, many of which are linked to DNA damage, hormone disruption, or cancer
- Thanks to a legal loophole called “Generally Recognized as Safe” or GRAS, manufacturers are allowed to self-declare additives as safe without FDA approval, review, or even disclosure on the label
- Hidden additives are often disguised as “natural flavors” or “spices,” masking substances you’d never knowingly eat but are consuming regularly
- Ultraprocessed foods make up 73% of the U.S. food supply, designed with chemicals that increase cravings, damage gut health, and disrupt brain signaling
- Even after hospitalizations and deaths linked to hidden ingredients, the FDA rarely takes meaningful action — leaving your health in the hands of corporations
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