Items Tagged with 'MAHA'

This episode of Food Safety Five reads between the lines of the revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans, discussing its use of the term “highly processed foods,” how its definition differs (or does not differ) from the debated “ultra-processed foods” category, and the potential implications for food policy.

An expert panel that was convened to support FDA’s “Operation Stork Speed” emphasizes the need for streamlined FDA approval processes for infant formulas, more transparent ingredient approval processes (i.e., GRAS, food additive petitions), and enforceable limits for environmental contaminants.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to acclaimed food policy journalist Helena Bottemiller Evich about the rise of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, the current state of food and nutrition policy under its agenda, and predictions for its future.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 were unveiled on January 7 alongside a new, inverted food pyramid that elevates the importance of protein and dairy, and an “eat real food” messaging campaign that denounces “highly processed food.”

To help paint a picture of how federal food safety and public health regulatory agencies have been affected by the second Trump Administration, this article provides a 2025 timeline summarizing major happenings at HHS, FDA, CDC, and USDA, including firings and hirings, restructurings, policy changes, program and budget cuts, and other actions.

In this year-end episode of Food Safety Matters, we round up the top stories of 2025, covering U.S. federal food safety policy changes under the Trump Administration, MAHA- and state-led moves against food additives of concern and ultra-processed foods, infant formula safety, science on Listeria and biofilms, ongoing monitoring of avian flu, and AI food safety applications.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to legal expert Brian P. Sylvester, J.D. about the rapidly evolving U.S. food regulatory landscape under the MAHA movement, and how food companies can prepare for state and federal policy changes regarding food dyes, GRAS ingredients, ultra-processed foods, and other areas.

Posted to the Unified Agenda in September, FDA’s developing proposed rule to tighten Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) oversight has been sent to the White House for review—the final step before publication.

After receiving significant pushback from the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) has eliminated from his draft bill a preemptive provision that would render state-level food laws ineffective—a goal of the new “Big Food” lobby group, Americans for Ingredient Transparency (AFIT).

In this bonus episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Kris Sollid, RD of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) about IFIC’s recent consumer surveys measuring Americans' confidence in, and understanding of, the safety of the U.S. food supply, as well as how “MAHA” may be influencing consumer perceptions.