On January 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Human Foods Program (HFP) released its priority deliverables and guidance agenda for 2026. The priority deliverables and planned guidance topics are line with the continued implementation of the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.).

In 2026, HFP will build on its accomplishments in 2025, guided by FDA's three risk pillars at the core of its work: microbiological food safety, nutrition, and food chemical safety. The agency plans to provide periodic updates on the progress achieved toward its priority deliverables and guidance agenda.

HFP Priority Deliverables for 2026

According to FDA, the targeted deliverables represent more than incremental progress; they signal a transformation in how HFP fulfills its mission to protect and enhance public health.

This year, FDA will begin or continue processes to:

• Remove petroleum-based dyes from the U.S. food supply and introduce new food dyes, including those from natural sources, to replace them
• Strengthen its food additive oversight by addressing how "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) substances are handled
• Rigorously review, and if appropriate, ban a range of food additives of concern
• Reform current regulations to more effectively regulate the safety of food substances and increase transparency about substances in the U.S. food supply
• Conduct a comprehensive review of the nutrient requirements for infant formula for the first time in decades (side note: FDA is also planning to release the results from its Operation Stork Speed review of infant formula products in April, according to remarks made by Secretary Kennedy at a rally in Pennsylvania on January 21; the study will focus on the presence of contaminants including cadmium, mercury, and lead in baby formula)
• Advance FDA's approach to regulating food allergens and develop recommendations about requiring transparency in disclosures of ingredients that impact certain health conditions
• Create a "front-of-package" nutrition labeling program that will help consumers quickly and easily identify healthier dietary choices
• Release an updated Food Code in 2026, providing all levels of government with a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail and foodservice industries
• Expand the inspection of food processing facilities by leveraging state inspection resources to complement FDA inspections
• Reduce child exposure to contaminants in food, such as lead and cadmium, which is part of the Closer to Zero initiative
• Address growing concerns around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their association with chronic diseases
• Build upon progress made in 2025 to improve the reach and clarity of FDA recall communications
• Engage with stakeholders and educate covered entities to ensure they can comply with the Food Traceability Rule (FSMA 204) by the new compliance date of July 2028
• Increase transparency in FDA's regulatory decisions and enforcement activities
• And a number of other areas.

View a full list of the work areas within the HFP's 2026 priority deliverables here.

HFP Guidance Agenda for 2026

In line with the 2026 priority deliverables, HFP has also publishes its proposed 2026 guidance agenda to increase the transparency of its work and processes, enhance food safety, and empower consumer nutrition choices.

Under its microbiological food safety risk pillar, FDA plans to issue the following guidances:

• Evaluation and Establishment of Safety of Low-Moisture Ready-to-Eat Foods Following Equipment Microbiological Contamination Event—Guidance for Industry
• Guide to Minimize Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-Cut Produce—Guidance for Industry
• Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food, Chapter 10: Sanitation Program—Draft Guidance for Industry
• The Accredited Third-Party Certification Program: Questions and Answers—Guidance for Industry
• The Food Traceability Rule: Questions and Answers—Draft Guidance for Industry

Under its food chemical safety risk pillar, FDA plans to issue the following guidances:

• Action Levels for Cadmium in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children—Draft Guidance for Industry
• Action Levels for Inorganic Arsenic in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children—Draft Guidance for Industry
• Action Level for Opiate Alkaloids on Poppy Seeds—Draft Guidance for Industry
• Food Colors Derived from Natural Sources: Fruit Juice and Vegetable Juice as Color Additives in Food—Draft Guidance for Industry
• Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food, Chapter 12: Preventive Controls for Chemical Hazards—Draft Guidance for Industry
• New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) Notifications and Related Issues: Identity and Safety Information About the NDI—Guidance for Industry

Under its nutrition risk pillar, FDA plans to issue the following guidances:

• Compliance Policy Guide for Determining the Identity, Quality, and Purity of Olive Oil and Olive-Pomace Oil Products—Draft Guidance for FDA Staff
• Food Labeling for Online Grocery Shopping Platforms—Draft Guidance for Industry
• Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) Rat Bioassay Studies to Demonstrate that a New Infant Formula Supports the Quality Factor of Sufficient Biological Quality of Protein—Guidance for Industry

View more information about FDA's HFP guidance agenda here.

Through its 2026 priority deliverables and guidance agenda work, FDA aims to better protect and promote public health through science-based approaches aimed at preventing foodborne illness, ensuring the safety of chemicals in food, and reducing diet-related chronic disease.