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FDA announces the Human Foods Program is in effect
The FDA's Human Foods Program is officially in effect as of October 1, 2024, focusing on priorities such as microbiological food safety, food chemical safety and nutrition.
The United States FDA announced on October 1, 2024, that the Human Foods Program is now in effect. Ideally, modernization efforts through this program will offer a safer food supply and limit the risks of foodborne illnesses.
In early 2023, the FDA Commissioner, Robert M. Califf, M.D., announced a new vision for the Human Foods Program after an internal study by the FDA and an external review from the Reagan-Udall Foundation identified flaws in the existing prevention and response strategies for food safety systems. The two reviews identified multiple issues across the current system, including culture, structure, resources, data systems, emergency response systems and regulatory programs.
Since these reports came to light, the FDA announced a new vision for the Human Foods Program that involved efforts from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the Office of Food Policy and Response and the Office of Regulatory Affairs to create a new and improved Human Foods Program.
As the Human Foods Program launches, the FDA claims it is the most significant reorganization and modernization effort in the organization's recent history, which will impact over 8,000 employees.
The program focuses on promoting public health through evidence-based approaches to preventing foodborne illness, reducing diet-related chronic disease, and ensuring food safety.
Recently, the FDA has had to recall several foods or food products due to foodborne illness. For example, in July 2024, several types of spinach from Solata Foods were recalled due to potential listeria contamination. The concern over listeria contamination continued later that month when Boar's Head recalled approximately 200,000 pounds of ready-to-eat deli meat.
Beyond listeria, in 2023, there were several recalls of frozen fruit because of hepatitis A contamination.
Both of these recalls came after a slew of recalls on infant formula associated with bacterial contamination, predominantly linked to Cronobacter sakazakii. The recalls resulted in a shortage and a cascade of regulatory changes surrounding infant formula.
Although these challenges could be addressed independently, they pointed to a broader complication in the domestic food supply and manufacturing process, highlighting the need for a comprehensive Human Foods Program.
In addition to implementing tools and strategies to protect the domestic food supply and minimize consumers' risk of foodborne illness, the Human Foods Program hopes to address food chemical safety through the Office of Food Chemical Safety, Dietary Supplements, and Innovation.
Finally, the Nutrition Center of Excellence will assist with the program's goal of addressing diet-related chronic conditions and ensuring infant formula's nutritional adequacy and safety through nutrition science, policy changes, and new initiatives.
Veronica Salib has covered news related to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry since 2022.
