October 26/San Francisco/Associated Press -- Thousands of ingredients that go into food have been classified as safe by private industry alone, without any U.S. government oversight, according to a new report.
Since the early 1960s, private companies and industry trade associations have determined at least 3,000 ingredients are safe, with no federal scrutiny, the study found. The ingredients include everything from artificially synthesized chemicals used in chewing gum to grape seed extract used in cheese and instant coffee.