By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
I was asked on national TV last night by Liz MacDonald on FOX Business The Evening Edit, about the risks of sugars, starches, and saturated fats packed into ultra processed foods. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even survival after cancer risks can be threatened by consumption of ultra-processed foods.
U.S. Health and Human Services has not removed the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) designation for high‑fructose corn syrup, but it has directed the FDA to act on a citizen petition that asks the agency to reexamine and potentially revoke GRAS status for HFCS and other refined carbohydrates commonly used in ultra‑processed foods. The petition, filed by former FDA Commissioner David Kessler, argues that these ingredients rely on outdated safety determinations and contribute to obesity and metabolic disease. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said the FDA will review the petition and the GRAS process, which allows companies to self‑certify ingredients as safe, though he has emphasized there is no immediate ban or new regulation yet. Any change would require a formal FDA review and further administrative action, but the move signals a possible major shift in U.S. food ingredient regulation.
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Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
President, McCullough Foundation
