FDA decides whether a food additive is safe; companies decide whether a substance is GRAS. FDA interpreted the law to say that the GRAS exemption permits a company to make a GRAS decision and not tell the agency. This means that a company can develop a chemical, determine that it is GRAS, and use it in food without FDA or the public having any idea about its presence.

We estimated that there are at least 1,000 GRAS chemicals unknown to FDA.
 
Making lunch and dinner from scratch would be a way to limit exposure to food additives. Taking a closer look at the labels may help, but even I find myself lost in a sea of unpronounceable words. Besides, chemicals that get into the food from packaging will never show up in a label.
 
We, as consumers, should not be responsible for deciding what’s safe to eat. The food companies will work to strengthen to do its job.