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GRAS Additives, the FRESH Act & the Fight Over Food Safety Authority | Episode 171
The federal government has a plan to overhaul how food chemicals are regulated in America, but the states got there first. In Episode 171 of Don’t Eat Poop!, Matt and Francine dig into Dr. David Acheson’s opinion piece on who should own authority over GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) additives, and whether the proposed FRESH Act is a real solution or just another Band-Aid on a broken system.
From California’s Prop 65 to a patchwork of 50 different state regulations, the episode unpacks why consistency matters and why trusting the federal government to deliver it is easier said than done.
Spoiler alert: If the feds can’t get it done, third-party certifications will fill the gap. And that’s not necessarily the win consumers are hoping for.
In this episode:
💩 [01:25] Dr. David Acheson’s take: Who should own GRAS authority?
💩 [07:07] State-by-state chaos: Why patchwork regulation fails manufacturers
💩 [15:55] Why state departments get things done quicker than federal departments
💩 [20:00] The FRESH Act explained: Federal preemption & what it would mean
💩 [22:21] The organic certification parallel: A blueprint or a warning?
💩 [26:52] MAHA, food safety politics & why this shouldn’t be partisan
Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.
Resources from this episode
Take a look at the article we discussed in this episode: GRAS, additives, chemicals: Who should hold the authority? By Dr. David Acheson
Food Safety Compliance Chaos: FDA Redactions, Conflicts of Interest & Mango Mayhem | Episode 165
Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“ If Clean Label Project ceased to exist because the federal government did their job really, really well, that would be our goal.” – Matt Regusci
“Certifications have become so watered down. They don’t mean what they once did.” – Francine L Shaw
We hope you enjoy this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!
Connect with Francine, Matt, and the “Don’t Eat Poop!” show on LinkedIn!
Check out Francine’s book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
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