FDA Unveils Chemical Contaminants Transparency Tool

On March 20, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the availability of a Chemical Contaminants Transparency Tool (CCT Tool). The CCT Tool is an online searchable database intended to serve as a reference for containment levels in food from chemical substances, including food-contact substances. As noted in the Agency’s news release, the intent behind the database is to offer the American public “informed consent about what they are eating” and is part of FDA’s broader initiative to “modernize food chemical” safety.

The database compiles existing information from several sources—including compliance policy guides, guidance for industry, and the Code of Federal Regulations—into a single reference. The information includes the contaminant’s name, commodity, contaminant level type (e.g., tolerances, action levels, and guidance levels), level value, and reference source. The list also can be filtered by contaminant type.  

Per the news release, FDA intends to continue to monitor the food supply through various testing programs and remains committed to providing transparency about food safety.