The news: The FDA is proposing a requirement for food companies to report ingredients they have designated as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) and explain why they consider them safe. The new requirement would replace the FDA’s voluntary notification system, which currently allows food companies to skip a formal review for ingredients considered safe based on scientific evidence or a history of use. Food companies are able to make their own GRAS determinations and voluntarily notify the agency—they would now be required to do so. The new proposal is open for comment through Dec. 9.

Why it matters: Consumers are paying closer attention to what’s in their food, putting pressure on manufacturers to rethink their ingredients or be more transparent about nutritional value. Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) shoppers check ingredients all or most of the time before buying, rising to 87% among health-focused consumers, per a February Acosta Group report. Meanwhile, half of all shoppers are worried about the health risks of artificial ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives, while 58% support efforts to ban synthetic food dyes and some sweeteners and move to natural alternatives.

The food industry is responding to consumer concerns. Beyond removing food dyes, which are regulated separately from GRAS, manufacturers and retailers are targeting a broader range of additives to align with changing consumer expectations. Retailers including Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart are removing ingredients including artificial flavors and sweeteners from their store brands, for instance.

Implications for food manufacturers: Making GRAS reporting mandatory means there will be more ingredient information made public in the GRAS’ database. Consumers and regulators would gain greater visibility into what’s in the food supply—though they’d have to go to the GRAS database to find it. It’s more likely researchers will use the database for fuel to file petitions, while it’s unlikely consumers will be searching this database for information before purchasing foods.

This does not change how companies bring food products to market: they can still use ingredients they determine are safe without waiting for FDA approval, they just need to report what they classify as GRAS.

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