Regulatory

USDA Announces Reorganization of Food Safety and Inspection Service

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:58:37 -0400

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.

New York Poised to Ban Certain Food Additives, Require GRAS Ingredient Transparency

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:21:29 -0400

The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act would mandate public disclosures of “Generally Recognized as Safe” substances used in foods manufactured or sold in New York. It has passed the Assembly and Senate, and now awaits the Governor’s signature into law.

USDA-FSIS Publishes List of Validated Foodborne Pathogen Test Kits

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

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

Trump Names Former Deputy Surgeon General as Nominee for CDC Director

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:48:17 -0400

Erica Schwartz, M.D., M.P.H., J.D. is a retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who has held medical leadership positions in both the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy.

Singapore Food Agency Publishes List of Approved Novel Foods

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:59:13 -0400

Novel foods approved for import and sale in Singapore include cultivated chicken and quail, mycoprotein, algal and fungal biomasses, precision-fermented sodium salts, and other foods.

From Concept to Commercialization: Regulatory Developments Shaping the Cultivated Protein Market

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

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.

EFSA Announces Third WGS Food Safety Conference

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:15:00 -0400

The third Science Meets Policy conference will take place September 2–3 in Rome, Italy, focused on helping EU competent authorities and industry members effectively implement new WGS data-sharing requirements for foodborne pathogens.

USDA Creates Office of Seafood

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:04:34 -0400

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

Virginia Passes Law Requiring Allergen Markers on Delivery, Takeout Foods

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:32:39 -0400

Per the new law, restaurants must place an identifying marker on any food item prepared for delivery or takeout that has been altered or substituted due to a consumer-identified food allergy or sensitivity.

California Bill Aims to Ban PFAS Pesticides

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:46:56 -0400

AB 1603 would prohibit the registration of pesticides containing intentionally added PFAS in the state.

USDA-FSIS Updates WGS Laboratory Method

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:52:17 -0400

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.

Netherlands Set to Ban Ashwagandha

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:42:43 -0400

In a meeting with industry, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (WVS) confirmed its intent to ban the botanical ashwagandha, a widely used dietary supplement and functional food/beverage ingredient.

FDA to Hold Town Halls on Food Traceability Rule Implementation

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:19:14 -0400

Registration is now open for the virtual meetings on FSMA 204, which will be jointly hosted with the Partnership for Food Traceability. FDA is interested in hearing stakeholder feedback on lot-level traceability efforts, industry challenges, and potential solutions.

EFSA Makes it Easier to Find and Use Food Safety Guidance Documents

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:57:00 -0400

EFSA has created new online portals where guidances are described and sorted for accessibility and ease of use by scientists, industry applicants, and other stakeholders. Additionally, future guidance documents will be developed following a new, standardized process.

USDA Launches Searchable Guidance Portal

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:25:12 -0400

The portal contains guidance issued by USDA and its agencies.

FDA Launches BRIDGE Project to Modernize Food Facility Inspections

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:51:15 -0400

Working toward an Integrated Food Safety System, by 2030, FDA expects the Better Regulatory Inspections for Dynamic Government Efficiency (BRIDGE) Project to accomplish a more coordinated, data-driven model for domestic food safety oversight across federal and state systems.

FDA FY 2027 Budget Request Includes $57 Million for ‘MAHA’

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:39:32 -0400

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.

Monitoring and Recordkeeping: The Heart of HACCP

rickstier4@aol.com (Richard F. Stier, M.S.) — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Monitoring and recordkeeping are the heart of HACCP. Records demonstrate that the program is being properly managed and that the established critical limits are being met, providing supporting data to show that the processor is producing safe foods.

Eurofins Supplement Certification Enters SuppCo TrustScore Rating System

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:47:42 -0400

SuppCo’s mobile application evaluates dietary supplements using its TrustScore methodology. Eurofins Supplement Testing and the Eurofins Assurance provide testing services and certification programs for dietary supplements and ingredients.

Stop Foodborne Illness, FDA to Host ‘Culture Change Carnival’ Webinar in April

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:34:30 -0400

The free event is open to the public and is the fifth installment in the joint multi-part webinar series focused on advancing food safety culture.

Testing Confirms Microbiological, Chemical Safety of Canadian Infant Formula, Children’s Foods

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently published the findings from several food sampling and testing assignments for microbiological and chemical contaminants across a range of food categories. In general, the results were satisfactory.

U.S. Codex Office to Hold Public Meeting Ahead of CCFL49

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400

The objective of the virtual public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the upcoming 49^th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL49).

Mississippi Bans Cell-Cultured Milk Products, Sets Label Restrictions for Alternative ‘Meat’ Products

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Effective July 1, HB 1153 bans the sale of milk products produced through cell-culturing and sets forth labeling requirements for products containing cell-based, insect-based, or plant-based protein.

Center for Food Safety Opposes Monsanto–Bayer Legal Efforts to Preempt State Pesticide Warnings

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:30:00 -0400

Arguing that states’ authority to require pesticide health warnings is critical to filling gaps in EPA oversight and risk communication, a coalition has filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Monsanto v. Durnell, in which Monsanto (now Bayer), the maker of glyphosate-based Roundup, seeks to strike down that authority.

Codex Committee Advances Work on Standards for Veterinary Drug Residues in Food

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The 28^th session of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods made advances related to maximum residue limits (MRLs), extrapolation approaches, and risk management guidance, with several measures forwarded to the Codex Alimentarius Commission for adoption.

FDA’s Human Foods Program Publishes Priority Scientific Needs to Advance Food Safety

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:57:11 -0400

The list of data, method, and research needs spans microbiological and chemical safety, nutrition, risk assessment, and other areas. It is intended to guide researchers who are interested in pursuing impactful food safety research.

EPA Addresses Microplastics, PFAS in Drinking Water; HHS to Study Microplastics in Humans

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400

EPA has announced its sixth Contaminant Candidate List, which includes PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, disinfection byproducts, and other chemicals and microbes. Concurrently, HHS unveiled its Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics (STOMP) initiative to address and understand microplastics in the human body.

Latest FDA Post-Investigation Summary for Mango Salmonella Outbreak Redacts Key Details

hendersonb@bnpmedia.com (Bailee Henderson) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:30:50 -0400

Redacted details include the importer of the implicated mangoes, the country in which the mangoes were grown, and the number and names of states in which outbreak cases were reported.

Australia Approves New Restrictions on Caffeine Ingredients

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Board has approved new requirements for the sale of caffeine and guarana extract, as well as restrictions on adding caffeine to foods, addressing public health concerns related to excessive caffeine intake.

Drug-Resistant Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Moringa Supplements Ends, Root Cause Remains Unknown

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:09:57 -0400

Although FDA was unable to find a cause of contamination, a single supplier of the contaminated moringa powder was identified. Affected products, which were sold under the Rosabella brand and distributed by Ambrosia Brands LLC, have been recalled.