FDA Goals for Human Foods 2025: Microbiological Safety, Food Chemical Safety and Nutrition
With the establishment of the new Human Foods Program Oct. 1, the US food supply will be widely regarded as a “vehicle for health” based on science-based approaches to prevent foodborne illness, reduce foodborne illness and protect chemicals in food. , Jim Jones, assistant director of the Human Foods Program, said during an Alliance for a Stronger FDA webinar last week.
Historically, the FDA has provided funding for government agencies to conduct critical food safety inspections, particularly in stores, producing farms and manufactured products. This amount was set at $83 million with additional funds added from unused state revenues and other resources. With recent flat government budgets and rising costs, the FDA expects that these additional funds will no longer be available, leading to a reduction in government support by approximately 30% per year this financial.
The FDA is working with states to prioritize their inspection efforts to maintain the highest priority jobs, Jones said.
The products produced by the FDA will focus on three priority areas: biological safety, nutrition and food chemical safety.
The FDA’s chemical safety program aims to improve pre-market and post-market processes.
The Human Food Program will focus on food additives, ingredients and GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) substances. The organization plans to improve its performance in the pre-market inspection system, to ensure smooth alignment under the new organization, Jones said.
On the side of the aftermarket, the FDA is updating its testing plan and incorporating public input to develop a more standardized chemical testing system. An updated list of priorities for the new review will be released, including a proposed timeline for key steps to deliver the new guidance, Jones said.
Technology and scientific progress are also priorities. The FDA will use AI-based methods such as the Warp Intelligent Learning Engine (WILE) to classify chemicals with potential toxicity for monitoring the food supply and detecting hazards. The agency will also improve its methods for monitoring exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoralyl substances).
To promote awareness of the nutritional benefits and potential risks of food chemicals for infants and young children, FDA will develop and distribute educational materials to inform parents of the nutritional benefits of “vegetables, fruits, grains, seafood” and the potential dangers posed by pollutants,” Jones said.
On the international side, FDA will pursue formal agreements with global regulatory partners on coordinating science-based food chemical safety standards.
New standards on healthy claims, sodium reduction, sustainability of infant formula.
The FDA plans to finalize a revised definition of the “healthy” nutrient claim, as well as a voluntary label for front-of-pack labeling. The brand can be used by manufacturers as long as their product meets the standards, Jones explained.
A mandatory nutrition labeling scheme is also underway with plans to gather public opinion on the proposal, he added.
In addition, the FDA plans to strengthen nutrition research in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, focusing on the health effects of whole foods.
Sodium reduction is a priority for the center. The FDA will review the Phase I voluntary sodium reduction targets as it continues to “monitor the progress of sodium reduction in the food supply,” Jones said. This also includes completing the provisions of Phase II.
The FDA will also finalize the rule on the use of salt substitutes “to help reduce sodium in common foods” and collaborate with government partners and stakeholders to improve data sharing related to sodium, said Jones.
For infant formula, the FDA is preparing a long-term national strategy to strengthen supply stability and address potential shortages. It will begin an ongoing medical education program on safe handling by pediatricians in collaboration with the USDA, the Women, Children and Infants Nutrition Supplement Program (WIC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Safety monitoring and research to strengthen pathogen prevention in products.
Within biological safety, the Human Foods Program works to ensure that participants have information to comply with the Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water and Food Safety Regulations, with compliance dates. starting in April 2025 and January 2026 respectively. The FDA will also ensure that Food Safety Act (FSMA) guidance documents related to product safety legislation are available.
“If you don’t know how the pathogen is moving through the environment, it can be very difficult to know how to intervene to prevent it from happening again,” Jones said.
Longitudinal studies on the movement of pathogens in the environment, including two studies of leafy vegetables, will be conducted to identify effective mitigation strategies, Jones said.
He added, “If you don’t know how the virus is moving in the environment, it can be very difficult to know how to intervene to prevent it from happening again.”
One of the investigations will take place in southwest Indiana where a salmonella outbreak was linked to watermelons. Additionally, the FDA is working to integrate genetic data from environmental samples into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s PulseNet, which integrates environmental and clinical pathogen data. This integration will accelerate the identification of environmental pathogens associated with human disease, improving outbreak response and prevention efforts, Jones said.
Improving safety, efficiency, management training.
On a broader level, the FDA is creating a Human Food Program to coordinate food labs with risk priorities, streamline documentation and strengthen testing and resource allocation. The recall procedures will be updated with the latest communication and the speed of rapid classification – which means that the FDA will quickly classify recalls by level of risk (Class I, II or III) based on the potential impact be present in life.
Finally, the Human Nutrition Advisory Committee will be established with membership targeting FY ’26. The committee will work with regulatory agencies and academic and industry stakeholders “to develop and publish a comprehensive environmental review of current efforts across the country to train new managers,” Jones added.
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