The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations recently submitted a bill appropriating funds for agriculture, rural development, food and drugs, and related agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Text was included in the bill mandating the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to unify its Human Foods program under a single Deputy Commissioner.
The bill also directs FDA to focus on cultivated (also known as cell-based or cultured) protein approvals and plant-based product labeling; allergen identification, labeling, and regulation, including addressing the issue of companies intentionally adding sesame to food products; preventing Listeria monocytogenes; and implementation of the Food Traceability Final Rule.