FDA Testing & Approval

First, many additives have not been thoroughly tested. And the vast majority of safety testing of food additives is done by food manufacturers (or by people hired by manufacturers), not the government or independent laboratories. Second, because of a loophole in the law, companies can declare on their own that an additive is "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS), and start adding it to food without even informing the government. Such ingredients are required to be listed on labels although in some cases they appear simply as "artificial flavorings" or "artificial coloring." The graphic below shows the convoluted process that the food industry follows.

Some additives do undergo a more formal government approval process, but even that is no guarantee of safety. There are approved additives that have been shown in subsequent independent studies to harm health, and are in the "Avoid" category in Chemical Cuisine. But the FDA rarely reviews the safety of additives (including GRAS substances) once they enter the food supply.

For more information, view the infographic.