Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused the US food and beverage industry of "poisoning" the American people.

In a US Senate hearing to consider Kennedy's nomination to become US Secretary of Health and Human Services, the politician said, if elected, he will “scrutinise the chemical additives in our food supply”.

Kennedy, also known as RFK Jr., told the US Senate Committee on Finance the food industry is the “primary culprit” in the worsening health epidemic.

But Kennedy, President Trump’s pick for the role, insisted the food industry has nothing to fear if he is confirmed.

“I am not the enemy of the food producers,” he said. “I want to work with our farmers and food producers to remove burdensome regulation and unleash ingenuity.”

Kennedy, a controversial figure in the US because of previously stated views on the efficacy of vaccines, has often commented on the nation’s poor health, which he has linked to heavily processed food and drink products. He repeated those opinions in the hearing yesterday (29 January).

“Today American health is in grievous condition. Over 70 per cent of adults and a third of children are overweight or obese," Kennedy said.

“The United States has worse health than any other developed nation.”

Quizzed about what he could do to improve matters if confirmed, he pointed to improving the existing school food initiative SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“We shouldn’t be giving 60% of kids in schools processed food that is making them sick; we shouldn’t be spending 10% of the SNAP programme on sugared drinks,” he said.”

“We will make sure our tax dollars support healthy foods.”

He later added: “Something is poisoning the American people and we know that the primary culprit is our changed food supply and the switch to chemical intensive, processed food.”

Kennedy also accused some US manufacturers of products such as cereal of producing less healthy formulations for the local market than versions of the brands sold in Canada and Europe.

If approved, Kennedy will control a $1.7trn agency that oversees everything from food regulation to vaccine recommendations and health insurance.