The Food and Drug Administration's official priorities for food regulation in 2026 include overhauling the process for determining the safety of ingredients, and expanding the role of state agencies in food inspections.
FDA on Friday released a long list of priority deliverables that also says the agency is focused on "identifying and reducing risks arising from the high consumption rates of ultra-processed foods." Other priorities include front-of-package nutrition labeling, and studying heavy metals and contaminants in food.
The list is in line with goals administration officials have set publicly, including the pledge to tighten the regulation of food ingredients. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last year officially directed FDA to take steps toward potential rulemaking around the process for determining that food substances are "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS.
The agency's priority list says, “Under the current voluntary GRAS notification program, companies can introduce a human or animal food substance purported to be GRAS under the conditions of its intended use without FDA notice or review. In 2026, FDA will publish a proposed regulation to require the submission to FDA of GRAS notices for all substances claimed to be GRAS.”
The list also affirms the agency's goal of shifting from petroleum-based food dyes to natural alternatives. The agency plans to issue draft guidance on when fruit- and vegetable-derived juices qualify as color additives under FDA regulations and reviews of natural colors. The agency will "prioritize evaluation of any new natural color submissions," according to the document.
The agency plans to create best practices for caffeine content labeling for both packaged foods and beverages, and at retail and restaurant settings. It also is looking to take steps to develop recommendations regarding labeling of ingredients that could be allergens or impact certain health conditions, like gluten for those with celiac disease.
The document says the agency is focused on "identifying and reducing risks arising from the high consumption rates of ultra-processed foods," and plans to collaborate with USDA and other federal government partners on gathering information, data and research, and analyzing comments submitted under a request for information the agency released last year regarding a federal government definition of ultra-processed foods.
The agency also plans in 2026 to begin "implementation of a plan for modernizing infant formula nutrient requirements based on analysis of scientific evidence, expert input, and extensive public recommendations received." It also plans to "release exposure data on a range of heavy metals and other contaminants, such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and PFAS."
The agency will continue to weigh front of package nutrition labeling requirements as part of a public comment process that began last year, as well as re-evaluate a 2025 rule allowing voluntary use of the term "healthy" on products that meet certain standards to see if they fit with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that were recently released, according to the document.
Cut through the clutter! We deliver the news you need to stay informed about farm, food and rural issues. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse here.
On food safety, the agency will "will begin the effort to create Better Regulatory Inspections for Dynamic Government Efficiency (BRIDGE), by relying on state partners to carry out more routine food safety systems inspections, while still maintaining FDA’s rigorous national standards," the document says. It says this would allow the agency "to focus its resources toward international, and high risk, complex, and targeted inspection activities."
"This modernized inspection approach will enhance public health protections by increasing industry coverage and maximizing the return on investment of federal and state resources," the document says. "With FDA-provided support, a 'proof of process' will begin in 2026 with full implementation occurring over the following four years."
On produce safety, the document lists a number of priorities, including:
- Advancing additional training for growers on the agricultural water requirements through the Produce Safety Alliance.
- A new training regimen for sprout producers based on the updated FDA sprout guidance documents.
- A joint FDA-Purdue University study of salmonella in cantaloupes, and new cantaloupe safety guidelines.
- A pilot project on leafy greens data sharing with the Western Growers Association.
- A cucumber safety initiative in Florida.
- Partnership efforts with Mexico to ensure safety of produce imports from that country
- Studies of potential hazards in produce.
On dairy and egg safety, the agency aims to "promote contamination prevention through enhanced training and education for dairy and egg producers," including a high-risk dairy course for state regulators, examinations of cheese aging practices, new outreach efforts for small ice cream producers, and new education and outreach efforts for small egg producers.
It also plans to release an updated Food Code in 2026, which will provide state regulators with a framework for updating their own food safety rules.
For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com
