A new online platform from the Department of Health and Human Services now lets Americans search for harmful chemicals found in food items. The tool is part of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s broader effort to bring full transparency to the food industry.
Developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Chemical Contaminants Transparency Tool lets users check for the presence of substances like pesticides, metals and industrial byproducts in common grocery items. The database identifies which foods contain contaminants, what those substances are, and whether their levels raise concern.
To increase transparency, today, FDA unveiled the Chemical Contaminants Transparency Tool, an online searchable database providing a consolidated list of contaminant levels that are used to evaluate potential health risks of contaminants in human foods. https://t.co/FgBhe3PUQP pic.twitter.com/iD8DoLYR9P
— U.S. FDA Human Foods Program (@FDAfood) March 20, 2025
Secretary Kennedy said the tool represents a step toward giving families honest information about their food. The agency hopes this visibility will pressure companies to clean up their practices while empowering consumers.
The tool’s search features allow users to filter by the type of chemical, the food product, or the regulatory standard used. It draws from sources like the Code of Federal Regulations and FDA guidance for manufacturers.
Food safety regulators have long set “action levels” and other thresholds for contaminants. These levels do not indicate what is considered safe but instead are benchmarks where the FDA may choose to act. Those details are now gathered into one database, replacing a system that previously required digging through government documents.
Acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner noted that some of the healthiest foods can still carry unwanted residues, particularly if exposed during growing or packaging. She urged consumers to vary their diets across the five major food groups to lower exposure risks.
Under Kennedy’s leadership, the FDA has committed to ongoing food sampling and data updates as part of a larger modernization push focused on chemical safety.
