GRAS Oversight and Transparency Act
Rep. Lawler's Bill Would Force Review of Pre-2000 Food Additives Deemed 'Generally Recognized As Safe'
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Representative Lawler, creates a new federal board to re-examine food ingredients that companies labeled as 'Generally Recognized As Safe' before the year 2000. Many of these substances were added to food based on the companies' own safety conclusions rather than a formal government review.
- Food manufacturers would be required to give the government a full list of these older ingredients within 90 days. Companies that fail to report their ingredients could face expensive fines or be forced to stop using those substances in their products immediately.
- The new board will rank ingredients into three groups based on priority, looking at the most potentially risky substances first. They are required to finish the first round of safety reviews within two years and complete all reviews within ten years.
- If the board finds that an ingredient has not been proven safe, the government can revoke its 'safe' status. Manufacturers would then have 180 days to provide new scientific evidence to prove the ingredient is safe before the government requires them to stop using it and recall products from store shelves.
- This policy aims to close a loophole that has allowed thousands of substances to remain in the food supply for decades without modern safety testing. It ensures that older additives meet the same scientific standards as new ones being introduced today.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
Small food manufacturers would face new compliance burdens, including a 90-day deadline to identify and report all pre-2000 GRAS designations they rely on. Companies that fail to comply could face civil penalties or have their ingredients treated as unapproved food additives, potentially forcing costly reformulations or product recalls. Smaller companies with fewer resources may struggle more than large corporations to gather historical records and respond to Board reviews.
Disabilities
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articles
Closer Look at H.R. 7291: What the “GRAS Oversight and Transparency Act” Could Mean for Dietary Supplements
Rep. Michael Lawler introduced H.R. 7291 to modernize how legacy 'Generally Recognized as Safe' (GRAS) claims are vetted. The bill targets substances claimed before 2000 that were never formally submitted to the FDA, establishing a new federal Review Board to verify their safety.
RFK Jr. and David Kessler on Reforming the 'GRAS Loophole'
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler discussed plans to reform the 'GRAS loophole,' which allows companies to self-affirm ingredient safety. This high-profile segment aligns with the goals of the newly introduced GRAS Oversight and Transparency Act.
Recent Federal Developments for February 2026
A new House bill (H.R. 7291) introduced by Rep. Lawler aims to restore federal oversight of legacy GRAS food ingredients. The legislation would establish an interagency Review Board to conduct scientific reviews of substances that companies self-determined were safe before the year 2000.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
GRAS Oversight and Transparency Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.