US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced food policy reforms as part of efforts to implement President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.The proposed measures focus on two areas: greater oversight of food ingredients and establishing a standardized federal definition of ultra-processed foods.As per Kennedy, “nearly 60% of the American diet is made up of ultra-processed foods, and childhood obesity now affects more than one in five American children”.To counter this, transforming the food system is key, he said.“These historic actions bring greater transparency to what’s in our food and stronger science to federal nutrition policy. President Trump and I promised to Make America Healthy Again, and today we are turning that promise into policy,” Kennedy said.What Are the Proposed Changes?HHS has proposed a rule that would require manufacturers to notify the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when they determine that a substance added to human or animal food is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).In addition, HHS and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have submitted for final review the federal government’s first proposed definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said the measures are intended to increase transparency and strengthen science-based oversight of ingredients entering the food supply.“By proposing mandatory GRAS notifications, we are closing critical information gaps and giving the FDA greater visibility into substances entering the food supply,” Diamantas said.He added that the proposed UPF definition could provide a stronger foundation for future nutrition research.What Is GRAS?GRAS stands for Generally Recognized as Safe. It refers to substances that are considered safe by qualified experts for their intended use and are therefore exempt from the standard premarket approval requirements for food additives.Examples of GRAS ingredients include canola oil, vinegar and spices such as black pepper.Under the proposed rule, manufacturers would be required to notify the FDA when they conclude that a substance qualifies as GRAS. The agency would also expand its public-facing inventory of submitted GRAS notices.According to Diamantas, mandatory notifications would help close information gaps and give the FDA greater visibility into substances entering the food supply.First Federal Definition of Ultra-Processed FoodsHHS and USDA have submitted for final review the federal government’s first proposed definition of ultra-processed foods.Research has linked high consumption of UPFs with preventable chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. However, the absence of a standardized federal definition has made it difficult to maintain consistency in research across federal agencies.The proposed definition incorporates feedback from thousands of stakeholders, including industry representatives, consumer organizations, researchers and members of the public.Diamantas said the definition could help “create a stronger foundation for future nutrition research.”How Does This Support Trump’s MAHA Agenda?The measures are part of the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again Strategy and build on efforts to strengthen nutrition science, improve transparency and modernize oversight of the US food supply.HHS also encouraged Congress to build on these efforts through legislation aimed at further strengthening the safety of the American food supply.