RFK Jr. Schedules White House Ultraprocessed Food Meeting Before November Midterms
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Oct 19
RFK Jr. Schedules White House Ultraprocessed Food Meeting Before November Midterms
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Oct 19
Summary
A higher-level meeting between Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and senior White House officials is set for this week to review a possible federal definition of ultraprocessed foods.
The push revived in recent weeks after summer talks stalled, with HHS and the White House trying to advance a signature Make America Healthy Again priority less than two weeks before the midterms.
Defining ultraprocessed foods would mark a first for the federal government and could underpin warning-label efforts that Kennedy and allies say would steer consumers away from foods tied to chronic disease.
The late-stage effort also carries political weight, as Republicans face complaints from MAHA supporters that the administration has not delivered enough on its food-policy promises.
Could a new federal definition of ultraprocessed foods completely change what Americans see on their local grocery store shelves?
If processing doesn't always mean unhealthy, will new government labels accidentally restrict nutritious, affordable options from public school cafeterias?