Quick bites from the food safety arena
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found itself in the news repeatedly this week. A report from the Government Accountability Office warned that the FDA does not have sufficient staffing to handle its oversight responsibilities. The FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of nearly 80 percent of the nation’s food supply. Meanwhile, the agency announced it will start testing some of the dairy products used in infant formula after a botulism outbreak in ByHeart formula was traced to powdered milk. And finally, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the FDA would change the way it looks at products claiming to use “no artificial colors.” Under the new guidance, companies can make that claim as long as they are using dyes that are not petroleum-based. Kennedy and FDA Administrator Martin Makary say they want to encourage food makers to use natural dyes instead.
- In the United Kingdom, the Health Security Agency is investigating more than 35 reports of illness connected to recent infant formula recalls. The culprit appears to be cereulide toxin, which is produced by Bacillus cereus. The Food Standards Agency is investigating the source of the contamination.
- Keep your Super Bowl party food safe and healthy with a few reminders from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Today’s Topic: The Farm Bill
Remember the Farm Bill? First adopted in 1933 and renewed every five years since, the Farm Bill establishes programs and policies for food and agriculture in the United States.
The Farm Bill was last updated eight years ago in 2018. That legislation expired in 2023 but was kept alive with annual extensions currently scheduled to end Sept. 30, 2026.