Items Tagged with 'Environmental Working Group'

In an April 29 Congressional hearing considering 28 active food safety bills, U.S. Representatives and witnesses from industry and consumer protection groups debated federal preemption of state food safety laws, GRAS and chemical ingredient oversight, and FDA–state information-sharing during outbreaks.

The draft bill proposes sweeping reforms to FDA’s food safety oversight, including GRAS process changes, infant and baby food safety provisions, and federal preemption of state laws. Consumer groups say the FRESH Act’s GRAS reforms and federal preemption language would weaken U.S. food safety.

AB 1603 would prohibit the registration of pesticides containing intentionally added PFAS in the state.

This episode of Food Safety Five discusses the Environmental Working Group’s 2026 “Dirty Dozen” list of the most “pesticide-contaminated produce,” including ongoing debate over the list’s methodology and its relevance to food safety and public health.

The Environmental Working Group’s 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce highlights PFAS pesticides for the first time. Although EWG recently updated its methodology, scientists argue it still does not consider key exposure science and risk assessment principles, therefore misleading consumers about the health risks of conventionally grown produce.

Of the 111 “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) additives identified by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 49 are known to be widely used by food manufacturers.

A letter sent to FDA urges the agency to immediately withdraw its approval of Carbadox, a carcinogenic swine feed additive. FDA’s proposal to withdraw Carbadox approvals has been pending for two years, during which time there has not been an approved method for detecting Carbadox residue in pork. 

California Assembly Bill (AB) 1264 has passed the Senate, and now awaits final approval before being sent to the Governor. AB 1264 would define “ultra-processed foods” (UPFs), and would require “UPFs of concern” to be identified and phased out of schools.

The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) 2025 Dirty Dozen list considers pesticide toxicity for the first time. While critics say the list is alarmist and may discourage the consumption of safe fruit and vegetables, EWG argues that “legal does not mean safe” when it comes to pesticide residues.

California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel has introduced a bill that aims to define and identify “ultra-processed foods” so that they can be phased out of state public schools.