FDA Announces Action Plan Focused on Decreasing Toxic Chemical Exposure

• June 23, 2021

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently unveiled an action plan, known as "Closer to Zero", aimed at significantly decreasing toxic element exposure (including to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) from foods consumed by children and babies. This effort highlights one of the principal priorities of the Administration. In this blog post, we review the plan and take a look at the timeline proposed for its implementation.

General Approach

The FDA's action plan encompasses four key steps in a continuous improvement cycle:

• Evaluation of the Science Underlying Action Levels -- Assessment of available research, testing, and other data will be conducted by the FDA.
• Proposal of Action Levels -- Action levels will be proposed in conjunction with several factors, particularly interim reference levels.
• Stakeholder Consultation -- Data will be collected, via consultation with stakeholders, to determine feasibility of proposed action levels.
• Finalization of Action Levels -- Data from multiple sources will be used to help inform any necessary changes to action levels.

Proposed Timeline

The FDA has developed a multi-phase timeline for the proposal and evaluation of action levels for the specified chemicals.

Phase 1: April 2021 - April 2022

• Arsenic: Using a consultative approach (engaging with various stakeholders), data will be compiled with a goal of preparing interim reference levels.
• Lead: Key stakeholders will review whether proposed action levels in certain foods for children can be met.

Phase 2: April 2022 - April 2024

• Arsenic: Key stakeholders will review whether proposed action levels in certain foods for children can be met.
• Cadmium: Using a consultative approach (engaging with various stakeholders), data will be compiled with a goal of preparing interim reference levels.
• Lead: Action levels for lead will be finalized.
• Mercury: Using a consultative approach (engaging with various stakeholders), data will be compiled with a goal of preparing interim reference levels.

Phase 3: April 2024 - forward

• Arsenic: Action levels for arsenic will be finalized.
• Cadmium: Key stakeholders will review whether proposed action levels in certain foods for children can be met.
• Lead: Information will be evaluated to help determine the likelihood of achieving further reductions in levels.
• Mercury: Key stakeholders will review whether proposed action levels in certain foods for children can be met.

More detailed information on "Closer to Zero" may be found on the FDA website.

Stay Up to Date

To stay up to date on efforts regarding the FDA’s new action plan and its ongoing progress, be sure to visit the ToxPlanet website and blog regularly for information on new developments. Also, be sure to contact us to learn more about our information solutions and to register for a Free Trial.