Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took a major step Monday toward his promised overhaul of food safety, unveiling a proposed transparency rule for food ingredients. The rule would require companies to notify the FDA before introducing a new ingredient into food products and to disclose the evidence underlying their conclusion that the substance is safe.
RFK Jr. also announced that the Trump administration has submitted for final review, the federal government's first definition of ultra-processed foods, which could shape future nutrition guidance, food-labeling rules, and federal purchasing standards.
.@SecKennedy with two major announcements on transparency in our food supply:
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 10, 2026
"We're proposing a rule that would end the practice of companies making GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) determinations without notifying the FDA. The proposal will give the agency greater… pic.twitter.com/ASXYUA8Iye
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: “When I came to HHS, I asked the FDA how many ingredients we have in our food, and they said they didn’t know. They said it could be 4,000. It could be 12,000. It’s probably somewhere around 10,000… We don’t even know how many chemicals are… pic.twitter.com/AWWSfSIHuH
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) August 10, 2026
"When I came to HHS, I asked the FDA, how many ingredients do we have in our food? And they said, they didn't know. They said it could be 4,000. It could be 12,000. It's probably somewhere around 10,000," the HHS secretary said during a press conference, Monday. "Think about that. We don't even know exactly how many chemicals are in the food that Americans eat every day."
"And the food industry continues to develop novel compounds and chemical combinations that do not exist in nature. Our bodies did not evolve consuming many of these substances," he said. "And that makes rigorous science and transparent safety review even more important, especially as we learn more and more about the role of ultra-processed foods in triggering chronic inflammation and the role of chronic inflammation in the chronic disease epidemic."
"Yet, under the current system, the FDA does not even have a complete picture of what is entering the food supply, and neither, of course, do the American people," he added.
While the proposed rule is not expected to immediately remove ingredients from grocery-store shelves, it would bring badly needed transparency to the FDA’s oversight of the food supply. By requiring companies to disclose new ingredients and the evidence used to deem them safe, the policy would give regulators, and ultimately consumers, a clearer understanding of what is going into Americans’ food.
Kennedy has long argued that a return to whole, nutrient-dense foods and regular exercise offers a practical answer to many of the health problems plaguing the country. His broader “Make America Healthy Again” agenda has emphasized reducing reliance on heavily processed foods as the United States confronts persistently high adult and childhood obesity rates, along with an escalating burden of chronic disease.
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