The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed making notifications for Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) substances mandatory, marking a significant shift in how food ingredients are overseen in the US. The proposal would replace the current voluntary notification framework under which companies can independently determine that an ingredient is GRAS without informing the FDA. Kyle Diamantas, acting FDA commissioner, said: “By proposing mandatory GRAS notifications, we are closing critical information gaps and giving the FDA greater visibility into substances entering the food supply.” While the FDA has operated a voluntary GRAS notification programme for years, manufacturers have not previously been required to submit a notification when making an independent GRAS determination. However, the agency would retain the ability to subsequently require a full GRAS notification or a food additive petition.