Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has introduced the Toxic-Free Food Act.  This proposed Legislation would require the Food and Drug Administration to reevaluate the Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) classification with respect to chemical food additives.  The proposed law would also require post-approval assessment and would obligate applicants to provide scientific evidence to support an application for GRAS status.

Rep. DeLauro stated, “When Americans are shopping at the grocery store they should be confident that the food they are purchasing is safe for consumption and do not contain any harmful chemical additives that could result in illness or death.”

The action by Rep. DeLauro is supported by a recent article authored jointly by a physician and lawyer affiliated with Harvard University. They maintain that GRAS status should be based on scientific evidence.  The article proposed an FDA expert advisory committee to conduct a pre-market review and to ensure the safety of GRAS compounds based on risk-assessement.