In a revealing “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signaled what could become one of the most consequential overhauls of U.S. nutrition policy in decades. His target: ultra-processed foods, which now make up roughly half of the average American’s daily caloric intake.
Speaking with CBS correspondent Bill Whitaker, Kennedy sharply criticized what he described as an “industry-led” food safety framework, arguing that current oversight mechanisms fail to adequately protect public health. At the center of his concerns is the widespread use of additives, preservatives, emulsifiers and synthetic ingredients that define ultra-processed foods, or UPFs.
Kennedy framed the issue as a “deadly paradox.” Americans, he said, are facing soaring obesity rates while simultaneously suffering from malnourishment. “We’re seeing in our population people who are obscenely obese and at the same time malnourished,” he noted, emphasizing that many modern food products are engineered in ways the human body “wasn’t designed to recognize.”
“There is no way for any American to know if a product is safe if it is ultraprocessed,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tells 60 Minutes. Sunday, Bill Whitaker reports on a decades-old loophole that Kennedy says has allowed thousands of ingredients into the U.S. food… pic.twitter.com/2uAjPnAP3F
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 13, 2026
The regulatory system governing these ingredients is rooted in the “Generally Recognized As Safe,” or GRAS, designation. Under this framework, companies can determine that certain additives are safe without undergoing a formal Food and Drug Administration review, provided there is consensus among qualified experts. Critics have long argued that this creates a structural conflict of interest by allowing manufacturers to effectively self-certify their products.
Kennedy indicated that his department intends to more aggressively scrutinize this system. He suggested that the reliance on corporate determinations — rather than mandatory, transparent federal audits — has allowed thousands of substances to enter the food supply with limited independent oversight.
The policy shift comes amid mounting research linking high consumption of ultra-processed foods to chronic illnesses, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Unlike minimally processed foods, UPFs are often designed for hyper-palatability, combining refined sugars, unhealthy fats and salt in ways that may override natural satiety cues. Some studies also point to associations between certain additives and systemic inflammation.
The official new Dietary Guidelines food pyramid
Revolutionary. Grains now at the bottom pic.twitter.com/QJYIQIZbNF— Nina Teicholz, PhD (@bigfatsurprise) January 7, 2026
Kennedy’s remarks suggest that HHS may pursue tighter standards, increased FDA review requirements or new labeling rules aimed at increasing transparency. While he did not outline specific regulatory proposals during the interview, the tone signaled a broader reexamination of how food safety is defined and enforced in the United States.
If implemented, such changes could reshape relationships between federal regulators and major food manufacturers, potentially affecting everything from ingredient approval processes to consumer labeling practices.
