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On Thursday morning, officials from FDA, USDA-FSIS, CDC, and AFDO took the stage at the 2026 Food Safety Summit Town Hall to talk about the current developments and priorities at their respective agencies.

This article discusses what the recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 say about "highly processed foods" and the food packaging concerns associated with such foods. 

The guideline is designed to help small and very small plants producing egg products meet the regulatory requirements under the Egg Products Inspection Regulations Final Rule, including sanitation and HACCP requirements.

The plan includes the creation of a new, central National Food Safety Center in Iowa and Science Center in Georgia. Approximately 200 (two-thirds) of USDA-FSIS’ Washington D.C.-area workforce will be relocated. Other USDA offices, including ARS and NIFA, also face restructuring and relocations.

The list includes kits validated for Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, and Escherichia coli.

Cultivated protein is moving from concept to commercialization, but a fragmented mix of federal progress, state-level restrictions, and uneven global regulation makes regulatory strategies a key determinant of success.

One of the primary roles of the new office will be coordinating across USDA agencies to ensure fishermen are integrated into USDA programs.

The updated Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook chapter on whole genome sequencing (WGS) of bacterial isolates now includes protocols for using both the Illumina MiSeq and MiSeq i100 sequencing platforms.

The portal contains guidance issued by USDA and its agencies.

FDA’s Human Foods Program specifically would receive a significant increase in funding compared to the previous fiscal year (FY), including $25 million to help address chemical contaminants and additives like PFAS, toxic heavy metals, and GRAS ingredients.