An investigation of eight controversial additives in 40 widely consumed packaged food products in the United States shows that a quarter of the products tested contained additive levels, in a single serving, that exceeded daily safety levels identified by U.S. or European public health agencies.
When measured against levels of concern identified in peer-reviewed scientific research, nearly two-thirds, 25 of the 40 products, exceeded at least one reference level.
The investigation was conducted by Consumer Reports, a testing and advocacy group, and Yuka, app lets users scan the barcodes of food and cosmetic products to find out their health impact
“Americans are eating products every day that contain additives at levels recognized as concerning by health authorities elsewhere in the world,” Julie Chapon, co-founder of Yuka, said in a statement. “Science has moved. U.S. regulation hasn’t. That gap is what we measured.”
People shouldn’t have to navigate a food system where outdated standards leave families exposed to substances that science has raised new concerns about, said Phil Radford, president and CEO of Consumer Reports.
“This investigation highlights the need for food safety oversight that reflects how Americans actually eat today, especially children, who are often the most exposed,” Radford said.
What the tests found
The investigation highlights products with concerning levels of five additives: Red 40, titanium dioxide, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium, or Ace-K. The products were tested by an accredited laboratory.
Of the 13 products analyzed containing Red 40, five exceeded, in a single serving, the daily safety level for children identified by the California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or OEHHA. Several studies indicate that chronic exposure to Red 40 may contribute to behavioral changes in children, including hyperactivity and attention disorders.
A California law banning Red Dye 40 in food served in the state’s schools based on the risks to children goes into effect on December 31, 2027.
Three of those products also surpassed the threshold identified for adults.
Nineteen of the 21 products tested for acesulfame K, aspartame, and sucralose contained enough of at least one artificial sweetener in a single serving to exceed levels of concern associated with an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or type 2 diabetes.
These levels of concern are based on findings from peer-reviewed studies that analyzed the dietary habits of more than 100,000 French adults over 12 years.
These studies found that low levels of daily artificial sweetener consumption was associated with an increased likelihood of developing chronic diseases. In sugar-free sodas from Pepsi and Coca-Cola, drinking just one-sixth of a can was enough to cross the level for acesulfame-K or aspartame.
Four products containing titanium dioxide, a synthetic whitening agent that was banned as a food additive in the European Union in 2022 over concerns about genotoxicity, were also tested.
One product stood out: Hostess’ Donettes Mini Powdered Donuts contained 261 milligrams of titanium dioxide in a single serving, more than 760 times the combined amount found in the three other products tested containing the additive.
Many of the additives the investigation flagged show up in products kids eat every day including cereals, flavored drinks, candies, and puddings. And because children weigh less, a single serving represents a much bigger share of their daily exposure than it does for an adult.
A regulatory framework that hasn’t kept up
The United States doesn’t limits on some additives. But many were established decades ago, and haven’t been revisited since, even as new evidence of harm has emerged, Radford said.
The European Food Safety Authority is legally required to reevaluate the safety of all approved food additives, and has published reassessments for over 240 such substances since 2009. The U.S. has no equivalent. And for 38 percent of the 50 most commonly used additives Yuka has flagged for health concerns, no quantitative U.S. enforceable limits exists at all.
The biggest driver of this gap is the “Generally Recognized as Safe” pathway, or GRAS, which lets manufacturers introduce new substances into the food supply without independent FDA review and, in some cases, without notifying the agency at all, he said.
Nearly 99 percent of new substances added to U.S. food since the 2000s came in through GRAS, according to the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization.
Manufacturers of several products highlighted in the investigation told Consumer Reports that their products comply with current FDA regulations.
The FDA declined to comment on the investigation’s specific findings but said it has launched a stronger post-market review process for chemicals and additives already on the market, Radford said.
Consumer Reports and Yuka are calling on people to join them in urging the FDA to strengthen oversight of food additives and update outdated safety standards.
