“We are going to get the poisons out of America’s food supply.”
The promise
Kennedy pledged a national ban on ultra-processed foods and toxic additives, calling them “poisons on supermarket shelves.” His administration instead opted for voluntary industry labeling and reformulation programs, stopping short of bans. Nutrition experts criticized the weakened policy as a major retreat from his original promise. Industry lobbying and supply chain concerns reportedly influenced the decision to delay regulatory bans. Public health groups labeled it a missed opportunity for meaningful reform.
