US Health Department Launches Tool for Detecting Food Chemical Contaminants

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its subsidiary agency have launched a new tool called the Chemical Contaminants Tool (CCT), which allows the public to check the levels of contaminants in various foods such as fruits and vegetables.

The tool was unveiled on March 20th and is an online searchable database that lists the levels of contaminants. Users can filter by type of contaminant and food category, such as milk, pistachios, and bananas.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated in a release, “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is committed to achieving full transparency, allowing Americans to be fully informed and make dietary choices based on this information. This new Chemical Contaminants Tool (CCT) is a significant step in the industry’s efforts to get America healthy again.”

Since being appointed as the Health and Human Services Secretary by President Trump, Kennedy has vowed to eliminate toxic chemicals from the American food supply chain, part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda.

Following his oath of office, Trump established the Make America Healthy Again Commission in February. The commission is directed to focus on “evaluating the impact of the overuse of drugs, certain food components, certain chemicals, and other specific exposures on children’s chronic inflammation or other existing disease mechanisms using strict and transparent data including international comparisons.”

Kennedy recently met with executives from some major food companies, urging them to stop using artificial colors. Meanwhile, the Health and Human Services Department is also attempting to repeal a regulation that allows food companies to use food additives without formal regulatory approval.

The new contaminant search tool does not introduce any new requirements but consolidates various types of information from previously released documents, including guidance documents from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is under the Health and Human Services Department (HHS).

“Ideally, there should be no contaminants in our food supply, but if there are chemical pollutants present in food due to cultivation, storage, or processing, the food may contain chemical contaminants,” said Dr. Sara Brenner, Acting Commissioner of the FDA, in a statement. “Since many of the most nutritious foods may also contain contaminants, consumers should choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods among major food categories such as vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and proteins, both between and within these food categories to help reduce potential risks associated with exposure to contaminants” (i.e., a balanced diet helps to diversify and mitigate the potential impacts of contaminants).

The FDA stated that it will continue to monitor the nation’s food supply through testing.

The statement said, “Under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, the FDA is committed to promoting full transparency to ensure that all Americans are aware of the ingredients in food, making America healthy again.”