Regulator looks to expand loophole to allow dangerous compounds in food as long as they’re not carcinogenic
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to expand a controversial loophole to allow some of the world’s most toxic chemicals to be added directly to food without a safety review.
The “threshold of regulation” (TOR) exemption currently allows dangerous compounds to be used without review in food contact materials, such as packaging or processing equipment, if they are not carcinogenic, and are added at levels below 0.5 parts per billion (ppb).
But campaigners say many chemicals, especially hormone disruptors linked to brain damage and reproductive harm in children, are considered dangerous at levels far below 0.5ppb. Even in its limited form, the loophole has already raised alarm. One TOR exemption that allows the rocket fuel chemical perchlorate to be used in grain bags dramatically increased the amount of the compound found in kids’ cereal, which advocates say could cause brain damage.
Those of us who are not american can read this. And you folks get angry when our governments, food organisations and consumers refuse to buy your food exports.
Nope, never angry about that. Jealous, but not angry.
The only people that are angry about that are the idiots and supporters to those idiots. Any rational person understands, and many of us support the decision with gumption.
Pundits and politicians sometimes make a fuss. Maybe some massively rich agribusiness jackasses are annoyed. I don’t think very many real people get angry.
You might say that this outrage is one of our inorganic exports.
Those of us that are paying attention, totally get it - I wouldn’t want to buy our gross food either!