This week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that tara flour is “generally not recognized as safe” and illegal for use in food products. This decision could signify a shift toward more stringent oversight of food additives and chemicals in the United States.

The FDA’s ruling comes two years after nearly 500 people fell ill after consuming Daily Harvest’s French Lentil + Leek Crumbles, which contained tara flour. At least 39 individuals required gallbladder removal following the outbreak. Tara flour is a plant-based protein derived from the seeds of the South American tree Tara spinosa. The FDA’s decision was anticipated, as preliminary data from the outbreak had implicated tara flour as the cause of the illnesses.

A spokesperson for Daily Harvest stated, “This FDA report is consistent with the findings from our own root cause analysis that led us to discontinue the use of tara flour in mid-2022.”

Food safety experts hope the FDA’s action indicates a broader commitment to scrutinizing food additives. Brian Ronholm, former deputy undersecretary of food safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and current head of food policy at Consumer Reports, expressed optimism. “This is encouraging,” Ronholm said. “So hopefully they’ll be able to continue to do this type of work because I think, ultimately, they’re going to be concerned by what they find.”

A Broken System for Deciding What’s Safe

The FDA’s decision on tara flour highlights concerns about the current system for approving food additives. Under the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) loophole, food manufacturers can self-certify the safety of their additives without submitting data to the FDA. This system has allowed a proliferation of artificial and chemical ingredients in American food products. Today, 75% of U.S. food is processed and contains numerous additives.

“There has been no way for consumers to know the safety of these chemicals because there’s zero transparency with the industry,” Ronholm stated. “It’s primarily a voluntary system.”

The GRAS provision, established in 1958, originally assumed the FDA would review safety data. However, as the number of new ingredients grew, the agency became overwhelmed and allowed companies to self-certify their products’ safety.

Lawmakers are now pushing for reforms. U.S. Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois have introduced bills aimed at ensuring “toxic-free foods” and closing the self-policing loophole.

States are also taking legislative action. A proposed bill in New York would require companies to submit safety information to the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets, increasing transparency. California has already enacted the California Food Safety Act, banning four food additives, including red dye No. 3. Additional measures in California and other states, such as Pennsylvania and Illinois, aim to further restrict artificial food additives.

The food industry is responding to consumer demand for cleaner labels. Seventy-five percent of consumers indicate they are willing to pay more for products with clean labels. In response, many food companies are reducing chemical additives while maintaining shelf life. Over the past two years, 80% of manufacturers have reformulated products to offer cleaner labels.

Ronholm remarked, “Ideally, companies don’t want to put unsafe products on the market and destroy their brand, but you do have to question how diligent they are in the process.”

The FDA’s recent action on tara flour may mark the beginning of more rigorous enforcement of food safety standards, providing hope for a safer and more transparent food system in the U.S.