In his first weeks as health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared war on an obscure regulatory process that many argue has been exploited by the food industry for decades.

The pathway allows companies to introduce new ingredients or chemicals into food products without a Food and Drug Administration review, as long as they self-certify them as “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS for short.

Supplement makers are worried they could become collateral damage in a campaign targeting unhealthy foods. Kennedy and his team “may not have fully appreciated how it could end up limiting consumer choice in supplements, something that runs counter to their broader platform,” said Duffy MacKay, a senior vice president of dietary supplements at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a trade group.

And Mr. Kennedy has indeed been an avid supporter of supplements. In the lead up to the 2024 presidential election, he promised to end what he called the “aggressive suppression” of vitamins and dietary supplements, among other wellness products.

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