The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Big Agriculture are teaming up to create a new food group. Plastics will be entering the food pyramid as the foundation of the pyramid. The FDA says that plastics are a safe alternative to nutrients, and they are excited to introduce plastics into the daily American diet. The FDA in a press release, “Plastics can be used as an alternative to many of the nutrients found in foods, such as fiber and protein. Plastics will also help reduce obesity by reducing the amount of food individuals can eat.”

Why Plastics?

This comes at a time when 200 million people worldwide pledged to reduce their plastic footprint by eliminating single-use plastic items such as straws, bags, and bottles. The FDA says that if we add plastics to foods, humans will biodegrade the plastics internally, reducing enviormental impacts. They also say plastic manufacturers who would have gone out of business due to plastic bans will remain in business. Those companies will be able to supply big agriculture with a cheaper alternative to nutrients previously found in foods. Plastics will be added to foods in several ways, including hot dogs and deli meats that have been filled with plastic gel and meats injected with plastic solutions during processing. The FDA says that this is just one way that plastics can be added to foods without having any negative effects on the environment.

Pushback

Physicians’ Associations have already begun to push back against the FDA’s proposal by calling it “dangerous” and “irresponsible”. The groups have called for more transparency from the FDA about how they plan to implement their proposal and how it could affect human health and the environment. They also want more testing on how adding plastics to foods could affect health outcomes such as cancer rates, obesity rates, heart disease rates, etc.

The FDA has also been criticized by environmental groups, which are concerned about the potential damage to the environment. They say that the FDA’s proposal is a way to allow companies to continue polluting the environment with plastic and that there is no way for them to keep track of how much plastic will be added to foods once it is allowed.

FDA-Approved Marketing Claims

The FDA is also seeking to create a new category of “FDA-approved marketing claims” (FAMC) that companies can use to market their products. For example, a product’s packaging might carry a FAMC such as “USDA-certified plastic,” “zero percent added nutrients,” or “100 percent petroleum.” The FDA is seeking input on what criteria companies should have to meet to use a given claim. The FDA has already received some suggestions about the types of claims that should be allowed and their definitions.

Conclusion

The FDA’s proposed rules would allow food manufacturers to use plastic in food. The proposal also includes a number of changes to existing regulations. The FDA established new categories of marketing claims that manufacturers could use on their labels. The new food group has already garnered controversy among health groups and activists, who say that the proposal will lead to greater illnesses and diseases. In the meantime, some companies have started using plastic in their food, which means that consumers are already being exposed.