When my son started drinking almond milk a couple years ago because he was allergic to dairy, I never imagined it could be unsafe. But now that the FDA’s GRAS loophole is letting unchecked fungal proteins into our food system, I’m starting to worry.

GRAS stands for Generally Recognized As Safe — a self-certification process where companies can add ingredients without going through rigorous government testing. How can we trust these products when they don’t even have to prove their safety?

I’ve always believed that if you’re feeding your family real food, you’re doing the right thing. But now it feels like we’re all part of a dangerous experiment with no oversight.

As a mom and someone who’s dug deep into what our kids are eating, I can’t believe this is happening. The FDA should be protecting us, but instead they’ve let companies off the hook with potentially harmful additives.

I started researching these milk alternatives myself after reading about the fungal proteins in almond and soy milks. It’s terrifying to think that my son might have been drinking something dangerous without anyone checking if it was safe first.

When I learned more, I switched him back to organic raw milk from a trusted local farmer. He’s never had an allergy issue since. Raw milk isn’t perfect either, but at least we know exactly where it comes from and how it’s produced.

The big companies that make these alternative milks are playing Russian roulette with our children’s health. They’re using a regulatory loophole to push their products without any proof of safety or long-term effects on kids.

How can I trust the FDA when they let this happen? What other shortcuts have been taken for profit at the expense of my child's health?

The natural alternative is always going to be better — farm-fresh milk, eggs from free-range hens. It’s heartbreaking that in 2023 we’re questioning whether these modern alternatives are even safe.

So many parents trust the food system without realizing how little oversight there actually is. We need real transparency and accountability or else I fear for what our kids will be eating tomorrow.

I’m sharing this because it breaks my heart to think that something we feed our children everyday could potentially harm them. Please share if you care about your family’s safety too.