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Investigations, Education & Updates

Deep dives into food safety findings, educational resources on contaminants, and updates on our mission to make food transparency accessible to everyone.

The EPA Just Approved More 'Forever Chemical' Pesticides on Your Food
Pesticides

The EPA Just Approved More 'Forever Chemical' Pesticides on Your Food

In November 2025, the EPA approved multiple PFAS-containing pesticides for use on food crops including oranges, tomatoes, corn, and wheat -- despite...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
The GRAS Loophole Is Closing: Senate Bill Would Force Companies to Disclose Every Food Ingredient to FDA
Regulatory

The GRAS Loophole Is Closing: Senate Bill Would Force Companies to Disclose Every Food Ingredient to FDA

The Better Food Disclosure Act, introduced November 6, 2025, would end the self-affirmed GRAS pathway that has allowed food companies to add...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
Ultra-Processed Foods Now Linked to 12 Chronic Diseases in Largest Study Ever Published
Health Studies

Ultra-Processed Foods Now Linked to 12 Chronic Diseases in Largest Study Ever Published

The Lancet's landmark November 2025 series reviewed 104 long-term studies and found 92 showed higher chronic disease risks from ultra-processed...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
West Virginia Bans 9 Food Chemicals as States Race Ahead of FDA
Food Additives & Preservatives

West Virginia Bans 9 Food Chemicals as States Race Ahead of FDA

West Virginia banned nine food chemicals including seven synthetic dyes already prohibited in Europe, joining a wave of state legislation that is...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
65% of Baby Foods Worldwide Contain Heavy Metals, Lancet Study Finds
Heavy Metals in Food

65% of Baby Foods Worldwide Contain Heavy Metals, Lancet Study Finds

A January 2026 scoping review published in The Lancet Regional Health found heavy metals in 65% of processed baby foods globally, with arsenic...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
FDA Detects PFAS in 7% of Food Samples as EPA Greenlights PFAS Pesticides on Crops
PFAS & Forever Chemicals

FDA Detects PFAS in 7% of Food Samples as EPA Greenlights PFAS Pesticides on Crops

FDA testing found PFAS contamination in 7.2% of 542 food samples, including seafood, meat, dairy, and kale. Meanwhile, the EPA approved new...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
Study: Americans Swallow 60,000 Microplastic Particles Daily, Mostly from Vegetables and Grains
Microplastics in Food

Study: Americans Swallow 60,000 Microplastic Particles Daily, Mostly from Vegetables and Grains

A University of Amsterdam study published in Nature Medicine found the average American ingests nearly 60,000 microplastic particles every day, with...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
FDA Finds PFAS in Your Food But Refuses to Set Safety Limits
PFAS & Forever Chemicals

FDA Finds PFAS in Your Food But Refuses to Set Safety Limits

The FDA's own testing found PFAS 'forever chemicals' in 7% of food samples — including shrimp, beef, chicken, and milk — but the agency still refuses...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
38 States Are Moving to Ban Toxic Food Additives. Here's What You Need to Know.
Food Additives & Preservatives

38 States Are Moving to Ban Toxic Food Additives. Here's What You Need to Know.

In just two years, the number of state bills targeting toxic food additives has exploded from 4 to over 140 across 38 states, marking the biggest...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
FDA Lost 4,300 Staff in 2025. Here's What That Means for Your Food Safety.
Regulatory & Policy

FDA Lost 4,300 Staff in 2025. Here's What That Means for Your Food Safety.

The FDA shed over 4,300 staffers in 2025, leaving its food inspection workforce 20% understaffed and conducting the fewest foreign food inspections...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
Toxic Chemicals in Your Food Are Costing the World $3 Trillion a Year
Consumer Health & Nutrition

Toxic Chemicals in Your Food Are Costing the World $3 Trillion a Year

A landmark December 2025 report reveals that just four groups of toxic chemicals in the global food system are causing nearly $3 trillion in annual...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026
168 Common Chemicals Found to Damage Your Gut Bacteria, Cambridge Study Reveals
Gut Health & Microbiome Impact

168 Common Chemicals Found to Damage Your Gut Bacteria, Cambridge Study Reveals

A groundbreaking University of Cambridge study tested over 1,000 chemicals and found 168 common compounds are quietly destroying the beneficial...

VeriFoods · Feb 17, 2026