CAP Makes Policy Recommendations for Stronger Federal Food Safety Oversight, Calls Out MAHA ‘Failures’
The Center for American Progress (CAP) has released a report outlining policy recommendations to strengthen federal oversight of food safety, drinking water, and consumer products, including closing the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) "loophole," increasing food inspection and enforcement resources, and requiring stricter safety reviews of food ingredients and chemicals.
The report asserted that gaps in federal regulations, inadequate oversight, and corporate influence have contributed to Americans' exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and unsafe ingredients. CAP also argued that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement has fallen short of its promises to address foodborne illness, chemical contamination, and health concerns associated with ultra-processed foods (UPFs), while the Trump Administration makes decisions that “undermine public health.”
To address these issues, CAP recommended strengthening federal regulatory agencies, increasing industry accountability, and improving transparency regarding the safety of food ingredients and consumer products.
Recommendations for Strengthening Food Safety Oversight
Among its food safety recommendations, CAP called for closing the GRAS loophole by requiring food manufacturers to demonstrate the safety of ingredients before use, rather than allowing companies to independently determine that ingredients are safe without FDA oversight.
For context, in August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did issue a proposed rule to require mandatory notification of self-GRAS determinations. However, it still left the GRAS pathway open while also expanding another “loophole” known as the Threshold of Regulation (TOR) to allow qualifying substances into the food supply without being subject to regulation.
CAP’s report also recommended:
- Strengthening food safety inspections and enforcement by adequately funding FDA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state health departments to monitor, investigate, and respond to foodborne illness and other health threats
- Increasing oversight of food contaminants by establishing stringent federal guidance for toxic heavy metals in food and banning pesticides linked to adverse health effects
- Expanding ingredient transparency by requiring manufacturers to demonstrate ingredient safety and disclose potentially harmful chemicals in products
- Strengthening corporate accountability by providing regulators with mandatory recall authority and civil penalties for violations, opposing liability protections for pesticide manufacturers, and preserving states' authority to regulate food safety
- Addressing UPFs through front-of-package nutrition warning labels, enhanced monitoring and enforcement, and policies intended to reduce health risks associated with their production, marketing, and consumption.
CAP also recommended strengthening premarket safety reviews for dietary supplements, cosmetics, and other consumer products to prevent potentially unsafe products from remaining on the market without adequate evaluation.
Additional Recommendations for Drinking Water Safety and Nutrition
Regarding drinking water safety, the report called for codifying Biden-Era U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water limits for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which the Trump Administration significantly rolled back in May, and eliminating lead drinking water pipes.
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CAP also recommended increasing federal support for organic and local food production, improving access to affordable, minimally processed foods, and strengthening federal nutrition assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Additionally, the report called for stronger conflict-of-interest safeguards in nutrition research and policy development to ensure that federal dietary guidelines are informed by scientific evidence, pointing out that the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 are criticized by nutrition experts for “the lack of transparency in their development, confusing recommendations, and deviation from scientific evidence.”
CAP argued that improving food and consumer product safety requires addressing regulatory gaps and ensuring that federal agencies have sufficient staffing, funding, and enforcement authority. The organization also criticized the Trump Administration's approach to food safety and chemical regulation, asserting that its policies, such as those related to PFAS and pesticides, have undermined public health protections despite the stated goals of the MAHA initiative.
The report emphasized that federal policy should prioritize preventing exposure to food contaminants, toxic chemicals, and other hazards while improving access to safe, affordable food and drinking water.
