While California took the spotlight with a new law banning four food additives, FDA deputy commissioner Jim Jones said on Monday that the agency will adopt “a more meaningful agenda” on food chemicals as it reorganizes its food safety wing. Jones, who began work two months ago as chief of human foods, has said that the safe use of chemicals and dietary supplements is one of his three priorities.
“The only way for us to get in front of this issue is to have a more meaningful agenda around food chemical safety,” said Jones during a webinar organized by the Alliance for a Stronger FDA. He said the reorganization would intensify the agency’s focus on food safety and that the FDA “will become more ambitious in our post-chemical review agenda.”
Some food makers will treat the California law as a de facto national ban because of the difficulty of complying with the requirements of the most populous U.S. state while selling products nationwide, said Jones. The state law bans four commonly used food additives — brominated vegetable oil (BVO), red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben — beginning in 2027. The additives are used in goods such as candy, fruit juices, and cookies.
Early this month, the FDA proposed a ban on BVO and it said a decision on red dye No. 3 “is forthcoming.” BVO was authorized by the FDA decades ago for use in small amounts to keep citrus flavoring from separating and floating to the top of beverages. The FDA said new tests conclusively proved that there were health hazards.
States will see less need to act on food additives if they see that the FDA is active in the area, said Jones. His two other priorities are preventing food-borne illness and decreasing diet-related chronic disease through improved nutrition. Jones is the first deputy commissioner for human foods at FDA. Commissioner Robert Califf created the post as part of a reorganization intended to put more emphasis on food safety.
During the webinar, Jones said he was committed to stakeholder engagement and transparency in FDA policies. “Early and often is what we are committed to doing,” he said, referring to contact with stakeholders.
In discussing the food safety reorganization, Jones said, “It was primarily a structural issue, not a talent issue.” A report by outside experts in 2022 said food regulation was hindered by diffuse leadership and duties scattered among four offices, resulting in “an aversion to risk” in making decisions.