The FDA is proposing mandatory reporting for ingredients companies classify as “generally recognized as safe,” while federal agencies move toward a definition of ultra-processed foods. Here’s what consumers should know.
A major change may be coming to how food ingredients enter the U.S. food supply.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Aug. 10 that the Food and Drug Administration is proposing a new rule requiring manufacturers to notify the FDA when they determine that a substance added to food is Generally Recognized as Safe, or GRAS.
At the same time, HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture submitted a proposed federal definition of ultra-processed foods for final review.
The changes are part of the Trump administration’s broader Make America Healthy Again agenda. But for consumers, the important question is simpler:
What could this mean for the food you buy and the ingredients listed on its label?
First: What is GRAS?
GRAS stands for Generally Recognized As Safe.
Under federal law, substances intentionally added to food generally require FDA review and approval unless they qualify for an exception—including when qualified experts generally recognize the substance as safe under its intended conditions of use.
The system dates to the 1958 Food Additives Amendment. Under the current framework, companies can make their own GRAS determination without being required to notify the FDA.
The FDA has maintained a voluntary notification program, but manufacturers have not been required to submit every GRAS determination to the agency.
HHS says that is what its proposed rule would change.
What would the new rule do?
If finalized, the proposed rule would require manufacturers to notify FDA when they conclude that a substance added to human or animal food is GRAS.
According to HHS, the proposal would also:
- Expand the public inventory of GRAS notifications.
- Give FDA greater visibility into substances entering the food supply.
- Improve the agency’s ability to conduct post-market safety reviews.
- Create a pathway for manufacturers to notify FDA about some existing substances previously considered GRAS without notification.
That could make the food-ingredient system more transparent.
But there is an important distinction:
This is a proposed rule—not a final rule.
The FDA is accepting public comments, with the current deadline set for Dec. 9, 2026.
Submit or review comments on the proposed GRAS rule
So consumers should not expect every packaged food to suddenly have a different ingredient list.
Does this mean the FDA will approve every ingredient?
No.
The proposal primarily changes notification and oversight.
The existing GRAS framework already requires a substance to meet the applicable safety standard for its intended use. The proposed change would give FDA more information about companies’ GRAS determinations.
That distinction matters because the announcement does not mean that all ingredients currently considered GRAS have suddenly been declared unsafe.
It also does not mean that every ingredient currently used in food will be banned or removed.
Instead, the administration is proposing a system in which FDA would receive more information about substances companies determine qualify for the GRAS pathway.
Why does this matter to consumers?
For shoppers, the biggest potential change is transparency.
Under the current voluntary system, a company can make a GRAS determination without notifying FDA.
The proposed system would give the agency a more complete picture of substances entering the food supply.
That could make it easier for FDA to identify ingredients that deserve additional scrutiny after they reach the market.
The FDA has already said its 2026 food-safety priorities include expanding reviews of chemicals used in food, including BHA, BHT, phthalates and other substances.
The agency also maintains a public list of selected chemicals currently under review.
What about BHA and BHT?
Two familiar names illustrate how this broader review is unfolding.
BHA, or butylated hydroxyanisole, is used as an antioxidant to help prevent spoilage of fats and oils.
BHT, or butylated hydroxytoluene, is also used as an antioxidant in food.
FDA says it is conducting post-market safety assessments of both substances.
For BHT, the agency recently reopened the public comment period and is accepting scientific information through Aug. 31, 2026.
See FDA’s current BHT review and comment information
That doesn’t mean BHA or BHT have been declared unsafe.
It means FDA is reviewing their safety under current uses.
That distinction is important when consumers encounter headlines about food chemicals.
What does “ultra-processed food” have to do with this?
The second major action announced Aug. 10 concerns ultra-processed foods, or UPFs.
HHS says it and USDA have submitted the federal government’s first proposed definition of ultra-processed foods for final review.
The goal is to create a more consistent scientific framework for future federal nutrition research and policy.
But consumers should understand what this doesn’t mean.
The government has not suddenly created a new label that says every ultra-processed food is unsafe.
And the Aug. 10 announcement did not establish a new federal ban on ultra-processed foods.
The administration is instead trying to create a clearer framework for identifying and studying these foods.
Will food labels change now?
Not necessarily.
The GRAS action is a proposed regulatory change, and the ultra-processed-food definition is still moving through the federal review process.
That means shoppers should not expect an immediate nationwide transformation of food labels because of the Aug. 10 announcement.
What may change over time is how regulators monitor ingredients and how manufacturers respond to evolving federal policies.
The FDA is also pursuing separate actions involving food chemicals and synthetic dyes, meaning the ingredient landscape could continue changing independently of this particular proposal.
What should shoppers do right now?
For consumers, there is no need to panic or suddenly throw away packaged foods because of the announcement.
Instead:
Read the ingredient list.
Understanding what is in a product remains useful regardless of future regulatory changes.
Don’t confuse “under review” with “banned.”
An FDA safety review does not automatically mean a substance has been found unsafe.
Watch for final rules.
The Aug. 10 GRAS announcement is a proposal. The final requirements could change after public comments.
Pay attention to serving size and overall diet.
A single ingredient does not determine whether an entire diet is healthy.
Use reliable sources.
FDA’s food-ingredient pages and public databases provide consumers with information about substances the agency has reviewed or is currently evaluating.
Explore FDA’s GRAS information and public inventory
What this could mean for Latino families
There is no evidence in the Aug. 10 announcement that the proposed GRAS rule specifically targets Latino consumers.
But the issue is still relevant to Parriva’s audience because food-label decisions affect virtually every household—and many Latino families shop across a mix of mainstream supermarkets, Latino grocery stores and international food markets.
That makes food-label literacy particularly valuable.
Terms such as:
- GRAS — Generally Recognized As Safe
- Food additive — aditivo alimentario
- Preservative — conservador
- Color additive — aditivo de color/colorante
- Ultra-processed food — alimento ultraprocesado
can be confusing, particularly when consumers encounter them in English-language regulatory announcements.
The important lesson is not that a difficult-to-pronounce ingredient is automatically dangerous.
It is that consumers should be able to understand what regulators know, what they are reviewing and what has actually changed.
That distinction is at the heart of this new federal food-policy push.
HHS’s Aug. 10 announcement is significant, but the food rules have not all changed overnight.
The FDA is proposing mandatory notification of GRAS determinations, which could give the agency greater visibility into ingredients entering the food supply. At the same time, HHS and USDA are developing a federal framework for identifying ultra-processed foods.
The GRAS proposal is now open for public comment through Dec. 9.
For consumers, the most important thing to watch is what happens next.
If the proposal is finalized, it could mark a meaningful shift from a largely voluntary GRAS notification system toward more comprehensive federal visibility over ingredients companies say are generally recognized as safe.
And that could eventually affect how regulators, manufacturers and consumers understand what is inside America’s food supply.
Related Parriva reading
Parriva’s health coverage regularly examines new research and policy changes that can affect Latino families. You can explore our latest health reporting, including explainers on healthcare policy, prevention and emerging health risks.
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