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Beltway Beat

FDA Announces Updates to Modernize, Strengthen Pesticide Monitoring Compliance Program

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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The FDA’s Human Foods Program announced in a press release several key enhancements designed to modernize and strengthen the agency’s monitoring of pesticides in domestic and imported human foods through revisions to Compliance Program 7304.004, last updated in 2011.

According to the press release, these updates strengthen the FDA’s regulatory pesticide residue monitoring program, through which the agency selectively monitors approximately 3,500 domestic and import samples yearly for residues of approximately 780 different pesticides. The FDA also monitors pesticides in human foods through focused surveys and the FDA’s Total Diet Study, and works with states through the Laboratory Flexible Funding Model Program to conduct additional monitoring.

The updated compliance program will focus exclusively on monitoring pesticide residues in foods. To reflect this, the program has been renamed “Pesticides in Human Foods – Domestic and Import.”  The updates streamline the program and clarify specific objectives such as:

  • Risk-based Sampling Priorities 
    The updates include a focus on sampling foods highly consumed by infants and children among more than 150 raw agricultural commodities the FDA samples as part of its responsibility to enforce EPA-established tolerances. These procedural enhancements ensure resources are directed toward the areas of greatest potential risk.
  • Enhanced Operational Procedures
    Instructions for laboratory, compliance, and enforcement staff have been revised to align with updated FDA procedures. Updates to the laboratory testing methods reflect the transition by FDA regulatory laboratories to a harmonized multi-analyte gas- and liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of pesticide residues and elimination of separate, analyte-specific methods, improving throughput and consistency of results. All activities related to industrial chemicals, including dioxins, will now be conducted under their own programs and references in the compliance program will be removed.
  • Strengthened Collaboration with Regulatory Partners
    New information has been added that outlines interactions and partnerships with FDA centers, related FDA compliance programs, other federal agencies, and U.S. state and local counterparts, highlighting the FDA’s commitment to a collaborative approach to food safety.

Information on the FDA’s pesticide residue monitoring program, including annual summary reports and the newly released Pesticide Report Data Dashboard, visit FDA’s Pesticides webpage.

A Greenpeace Study finds microplastics in baby food pouches

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Greenpeace International announced that a new investigation they commissioned has found microplastics in every baby food pouch it tested, and estimates that a single Gerber pouch contains more than 5,000 microplastic particles and more than 11,000 in a Happy Baby Organics pouch. The study traced the likely source to the plastic lining of the pouches
themselves.

The report, Tiny Plastics, Big Problem: The Hidden Health Risks of Baby Food Plastic Pouches, also detected a range of chemicals in both the food and the packaging, including a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical in the Gerber pouches.

The testing commissioned by Greenpeace International in 2025 found plastic particles in the baby food products of two global consumer goods companies – Danone and Nestlé. The study suggests a link between the type of plastic the pouches are lined with – polyethylene – and some of the microplastics found. Tests also suggest a range of plastic-associated chemicals in the packaging and food of both products. Key findings are:

  • In every gram of baby food tested, researchers found up to 54 microplastic
    particles in Gerber pouches and up to 99 particles in Happy Baby Organics
    pouches, on average. That’s equivalent to as many as 270 (Gerber) and 495
    (Happy Baby Organics) microplastics per teaspoon.
  • The study also identified a range of plastic-associated chemicals present in
    both the packaging and the food, including a chemical in the Gerber samples
    that is a known endocrine disruptor.
  • The study suggests a link between polyethylene, the plastic lining the pouches,
    and some of the microplastics found in the baby food tested.

The study was conducted by SINTEF Ocean in Norway in 2025 and commissioned by Greenpeace International. It tested three pouches each of two baby food products, Nestlé’s Gerber brand yogurt puree and Danone’s Happy Baby Organics brand fruit puree. Products were analyzed as sold (not heated).

A Nestlé spokesperson told Food Safety Tech  “We understand the concerns raised in this report. We want to reassure all consumers that our products are safe to consume. We take our responsibility in feeding babies extremely seriously and apply strict controls across our entire value chain, including the rigorous selection and management of packaging.” materials.”

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Beltway Beat

FDA Releases Discussion Paper Ahead of Traceability Public Meeting in June

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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The FDA has released a discussion paper to promote deeper and more productive engagements with stakeholders on potential flexibilities regarding the lot-level tracking requirements in the final rule, “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods” (Food Traceability Rule). The discussion paper includes information and questions to help inform FDA’s engagements with stakeholders, including the upcoming virtual FDA-led public meeting on June 15th.

The FDA encourages those attending and speaking at the public meeting to consider the topics in the discussion paper. The public meeting is free and open to the public, but registration is necessary to attend. If you would like to speak during the public comment period, please register by June 5. All others can register until June 14th. More information about registration and how to request to speak during the public comment period are available on our meeting page.

In addition to the public meeting, the FDA wants to provide all stakeholders with an opportunity to actively engage with the Agency on this topic. Therefore, all interested parties are encouraged to submit feedback on the discussion paper to https://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. FDA-2014-N-0053. Feedback does not need to cover every question that is asked in the document; you are encouraged to focus on whichever aspects of the discussion paper are of the most interest to you. To ensure that we can fully consider your feedback as we continue our stakeholder engagements and work to expeditiously identify flexibilities to help implement the lot-level tracking requirements of the Food Traceability Rule, provide feedback by July 15, 2026.

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FDA Advances Post-Market Review of Phthalates Used in Food Contact Materials

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Food Packaging

The FDA announced on its website that it released a scientific evaluation of the eight ortho-(o)-phthalates (“phthalates”) currently authorized as plasticizers for food contact use to determine if they should be grouped together for the purpose of a cumulative risk assessment. This work will inform the agency’s upcoming post-market safety assessment of the food contact uses of phthalates, which is part of the agency’s commitment to ensuring that chemicals in the U.S. food supply remain safe as new scientific information becomes available. FDA is encouraging the public to comment by June 26, 2026, through docket FDA-2026-N-5776.

Specifically, FDA analyzed the scientific literature to understand if phthalates should be considered chemically or pharmacologically related (CPR) substances. Grouping similar chemicals as CPR enables assessment of their combined risk to consumers in a cumulative risk assessment.

The FDA evaluated the following eight phthalates:

  • diisononyl phthalate (DINP)
  • diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP)
  • di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
  • dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP)
  • butylphthalyl butyl glycolate (BPBG)
  • diethyl phthalate (DEP)
  • ethylphthalyl ethyl glycolate (EPEG)
  • diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP)

The evaluation proposes science-based inclusion and exclusion criteria for CPR grouping of these phthalates. The FDA’s findings support CPR grouping for DEHP, DCHP, DIOP and DINP for a future cumulative risk assessment. The FDA will consider stakeholder input on the use of this grouping for a future cumulative risk assessment.

To better understand the eight phthalates still authorized as plasticizers, the FDA previously issued a request for information seeking data on current uses, use levels, and safety to support an updated post-market assessment. The FDA received and reviewed approximately 24,000 comments in response to the RFI. This information was considered when conducting the evaluation released today.

Beltway Beat

Dr. Donald A. Prater has been named as the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food at FDA

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FDA announced that Kyle Diamantas, J.D. is now the Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, replacing Dr. Martin (Marty) Makary who resigned as the 27th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2026. Dr. Donald A. Prater has been named as the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food.

As the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Food, Dr. Prater leads the agency’s Human Foods Program, overseeing all FDA nutrition and food safety activities. In this role, Dr. Prater exercises authority over all Human Food Program entities and operations, including resource allocation, risk-prioritization strategy and decision making, policy initiatives, and major response activities involving human foods. Dr. Prater also oversees food resources in the agency’s Office of Inspections and Investigations.

Dr. Prater has presented at both the Food Safety Consortium Conference and as recently at the Food Safety Hazards Conference, in April in St. Louis.

Dr. Mindy Brashears, USDA, Brian Ronholm, CR and Dr. Don Prater FDA at the Food Safety Hazards Conference April 2026

Prior to this role, he served as the agency’s Principal Deputy Associate Commissioner for Food since 2024 and was previously Acting Director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, a role he took on in 2023. He adeptly helped lead the Center during a time of transition, prioritizing nutrition and the safety of the food supply, dietary supplements, and cosmetics while helping to re-envision the organization.

Previously he had been the Associate Commissioner for Imported Food Safety in Office of Food Policy and Response, providing direction to and management of imported food safety programs. In addition, he served as a senior scientific advisor and technical expert on matters related to human and animal food safety and the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Earlier in his FDA tenure, Dr. Prater was Director of the FDA’s Europe Office in Brussels, Belgium and the Department of Health and Human Services Country Representative to the European Union.

Dr. Prater received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (government and corporate track) in 1996. Following a three-year residency in anatomic pathology, he joined the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in 1999 as a Veterinary Medical Officer. There he served in several roles including leader of the Aquaculture Drugs Team, CVM Pathologist, and Director of the Division of Scientific Support.

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Hygiena® Secures U.S. Trademark for One Health Diagnostics®

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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for the trademark application of One Health Diagnostics®.

“We are thrilled to receive this Notice of Allowance from the USPTO,” said Amanda Manolis, VP Global Marketing, Scientific Affairs, Product & Program Management at Hygiena. “The One Health Diagnostics® mark reinforces our leadership in the category we are building and leading as the authority in rapid diagnostics. This recognition reinforces Hygiena’s role in advancing diagnostics beyond food safety into a fully integrated system that protects global health through data-driven insight and end-to-end visibility.

The global diagnostics market is undergoing a structural shift from isolated testing methods to integrated, intelligence-driven platforms. Hygiena’s One Health Diagnostics® portfolio is designed to meet this shift by delivering capabilities across the entire food safety and environmental monitoring value chain, from ATP hygiene and sanitation verification with UltraSnap®, AquaSnap® and KLEANZ®, to molecular, pathogen detection workflows with BAX® and foodproof® RT-PCR Systems. Our portfolio, which includes allergen and gluten detection with GlutenTox®, GMO and supply chain transparency testing to public health and environmental surveillance, empowers data-driven decision-making at every stage. More than just testing, our solutions protect public health, food security and sustainability.

Through platforms including SureTrend® Food Safety Management Software along with the newest addition to the Hygiena portfolio, KLEANZ® Sanitation Management, transform ATP, PCR, sanitation, and environmental data into real-time operational decisions, strengthening compliance, improving quality programs, and supporting continuous improvement.

Our One Health Diagnostics® ethos places Hygiena among the few organizations worldwide with a comprehensive portfolio covering the entire food safety value chain. At the core of One Health Diagnostics® is a shift from testing alone to connected diagnostics ecosystems, delivering actionable insights that drive smarter, faster and more sustainable decision-making.

Beltway Beat

Trump Planning to Fire FDA Commissioner Marty Makary

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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According tho the Wall Street Journal, President Trump has signed off on a plan to fire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.

Top administration officials have become increasingly convinced Makary has to go because, in addition to months of turmoil, complaints from some in the pharmaceutical industry have continued to mount, people familiar with the matter said. Kennedy last year had considered installing someone else to run the FDA while Makary remained a figurehead.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump recently became frustrated with Makary for not moving fast enough to approve flavored vapes and other nicotine products. Makary in February refused to authorize blueberry and mango vape flavors from Los Angeles manufacturer Glas, worried that fruit flavors would encourage youth vaping. After the pressure from Trump, he reversed course and authorized the flavors. Makary has also run into criticism from biotech companies with rare-disease drugs, as well as patients and their advocates.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the influential president of antiabortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, recently renewed her call for Makary to be fired. The Wall Street Journal reported that Makary said he could have stalled approval of a generic form of the abortion pill, but didn’t.

Trump tapped Makary for the FDA post in November 2024, as Kennedy and other health department leaders bonded in meetings at Dr. Mehmet Oz’s oceanfront Florida mansion. Kennedy described Makary, along with Oz and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, as “friends” who stayed in each other’s homes and vacationed together, in a Fox News interview last year.

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Beltway Beat

USDA Announces Food Safety and Inspection Service Reorganization, Establishes National Food Safety Center in Iowa

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to modernize operations, streamline support functions and better align the agency with the nation’s agricultural landscape. As part of this effort, USDA will establish a new National Food Safety Center (NFSC) in Urbandale, Iowa, which will serve as the primary hub for FSIS administrative, technical and support operations.

Opponents, including some Democratic lawmakers, have raised concerns that these types of reallocations are used to downsize agency effectiveness and affect morale, rather than improve services.

Marion Nestle says the move will gut the agency, destroy its expertise, and disable it for years to come. She adds “That has to be the intent. Add these to the 27,000 people who have already left USDA since Trump II, 37% of its staff.  Surely, some of those people helped get the agency’s work done.”

Establishing a Central Hub for Food Safety Operations

FSIS will repurpose existing USDA space in Urbandale, Iowa, to establish the new National Food Safety Center (NFSC), which will become the agency’s largest office in the United States with approximately 200 employees.

The NFSC will serve as FSIS’ primary location for headquarters support functions, including resource management, training, food safety education, financial operations, information technology and administrative services. By consolidating these functions in a centrally located hub, FSIS will reduce duplication, improve coordination and expand access to career opportunities for employees across the country. The establishment of the NFSC marks a significant shift in the agency’s operational footprint, placing key functions closer to the agricultural and food production systems that FSIS regulates and supports.

Expanding Scientific Leadership in Georgia

FSIS will also establish a Science Center in Athens, Georgia, building on its existing Eastern Field Services Laboratory and expanding its capabilities in microbiology, chemistry and epidemiology. The Science Center will strengthen FSIS’ scientific leadership and ensure continued access to top-tier academic institutions, a robust public health workforce and key industry partners.

Aligning Workforce and Functions Nationwide

Under the reorganization, FSIS will relocate approximately two-thirds of its National Capital Region workforce to mission-critical locations, including the National Food Safety Center in Iowa and the Science Center in Georgia.

Approximately 200 positions will be relocated from Washington D.C, while roughly 100 positions will remain to support congressional engagement, policy development and interagency coordination. FSIS will also establish a presence in Fort Collins, Colorado, for staff supporting international activities, further aligning the agency with USDA’s broader geographic footprint.

Maintaining Continuity in Food Safety Operations

The reorganization does not impact FSIS’ frontline inspection workforce which represents 85 percent of employees and operates across more than 6,800 regulated establishments. All food safety inspection activities and public health protections will continue without interruption, and the reorganization does not include any reduction in force. All FSIS employees will retain positions within the agency.

Track and Trace, traceability, supply chain

Benefits of Traceability Solutions Research Results Announced

By Carlos Alejandrino, Wiggs Civitillo
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Track and Trace, traceability, supply chain

Starfish recently conducted an analysis of the benefits of traceability solutions. This study had over 300 respondents across various food-related sub-industries, including produce, meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, packaged & manufactured goods. The surveyed companies spanned across production, logistics, retail, and services functions across the industry value chain. Respondents came from both large and small companies, with employees from Kroger, Merck, and Amazon included.

Survey Method

Respondents were asked which benefits they Intended and Incurred/ Experienced when utilizing traceability benefits, additionally they were asked which benefit they felt was the Most Valuable. Four answers were offered: (1) Improve Compliance, Insurance, and Legal; (2) Improve Operational Efficiency; (3) Reduce Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors; and (4) Increase Revenue. These four options were based on categories of traceability benefits defined by Planet Tracker.

Survey Results

Reducing the Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors was a significant reason for companies engaging with traceability solutions. This answer was the #1 most chosen intended benefit in 7 out of 10 respondent categories, with it being the #2 most chosen in the other 3 categories.

Reducing the Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors and Increasing Revenue were equally common benefits that respondents Incurred / Experienced. Both answers were the #1 most chosen Intended benefit in 5 out of 10 respondent categories, with both being either the #1 or #2 most chosen in all categories.

Interestingly, when asked which benefit of utilizing traceability was the most valuable, the other two answer options gained prominence. Improving Operational Efficiency was the #1 most chosen as the Most Valuable benefit in 8 out of 10 categories, with it being the #2 most chosen in the other 2 categories. Uniquely, Improving Compliance, Insurance, and Legal was the #1 Most Valuable benefit for Dairy and Egg companies, this being the only time it appeared as the most significant benefit in any question and the largest gap between the #1 and #2 most chosen benefit across sub-industry categories.

Empirical Findings

Recall, Waste, and Error impact reductions in findings from empirical studies come in the form of greater speed and information quality. In a survey conducted by Sparling and others (2011), 60% of growers and processors chose “faster and more precise recalls” as the greatest benefit to tracing services. This significance is supported by examples of major efficiency in recall management. Including outbreak-source identification time reduction from 35 days to 6 days and a reduction in the direct costs of recalls by 90% for short shelf life products (like fresh seafood) and by 95% for longer shelf life products (like frozen seafood) [Planet Tracker].

Increasing Revenue results in empirical findings come in the form of price premiums and greater sales volumes. The Sparling and others (2011) survey included supply chain efficiencies (operational efficiency) or increased market access (revenue) as the next most common responses for the greatest traceability benefits. Revenue increase can come from increase can from expanded markets and increased customer demand, which 50-62% of firms reported in a Planet Tracker survey. Chinese and Japanese consumers expressed that they would be willing to pay a 6% and 10% premium for traceable seafood [Planet Tracker].

Improving Operational Efficiency benefits in empirical findings span multiple types of outcomes. An Indonesian fishing company experienced a 10% reduction in unproductive vessel trips [Pointrek]. Fresh Del Monte experienced energy and efficiency savings of 15 – 30% [Strailey 2023]. A study on the Spanish vegetable industry found reduced production disruptions of 90%, lower indirect costs of 20%, increased warehousing capacity of 15% and cut safety stock of 30%.

The Dairy and Egg sub-industry’s focus on Improving Compliance, Insurance, and Legal could stem from the sector’s heightened frequency of recalls, with Dairy accounting for the most recalls by far in Q1 2025, with the number being consistent in 2024 [Global Food Recall Index 2025].

Conclusion

Reducing the Impact of Recalls, Waste, and Errors, and Revenue Increases are the most intended and experienced benefits of traceability services. Operational Efficiency is the most valuable benefit, this remains consistent across company roles and sub-industries, with Dairy a possible exception.

Sources:

Starfish strives to improve the safety of food. The team believes in the ability of traceability solutions to drive impactful benefits to achieve this goal and hopes that this and further research will drive awareness for the potential of traceability.

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Beltway Beat

Call For Presentation and Poster Abstracts for the 15th Annual Food Safety Consortium Conference

By Rick Biros
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Food Safety Tech invites you to submit abstracts for consideration for the 2026 Food Safety Consortium Conference, October 21-23, 2026 in Washington DC

The 15th Annual Food Safety Consortium will take place October 21-23, 2026, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington VA directly across the Potomac River from  Washington, DC. The Program starts with several pre-conference workshops and training which leads into two full days of high-level panel discussions and educational presentations.

2019 FSC Audience

The 15th Annual Food Safety Consortium is a conference for food safety and quality assurance professionals that equips attendees with cutting-edge knowledge, practical skills, and a collaborative network to enhance their professional development as champions of food safety and innovation in the production of foods and beverages.

The conference’s mission is to elevate industry standards, and the exploration of key scientific and regulatory developments impacting public health and safety and its implications for food production. The Food Safety Consortium represents an invaluable opportunity for professionals to engage with leading experts, exchange insights, and collectively advance best practices in food safety. The conference scope includes both human and pet foods.

“Our conference committee has been advising me on the program. Attendees should expect to see topics such as the rise in digital transformation in food safety and quality, the impact of AI, risk management, FSQA benchmarking as well as continuing the discussion on the case for a single food protection agency.” said Rick Biros, Content Director & Publisher, Food Safety Tech.

Biros added, “this year is the 15th anniversary of FSMA, Food Safety Tech and The Food Safety Consortium. The big question is, has FSMA improved food safety in the 15 years? We plan to address that question as well as what do we need to do to improve food safety on a macro scale and in individual companies. What is the benchmark we measure against and what is our goals and timeline? Let’s call it our Food Safety Moon Shot!”

2026 Advisory Committee

  • Shahram Ajamian, Senior Director Global Quality and Food Safety Governance, McCormick
  • Al Baroudi, MS, Ph.D., Vice President, QA & Food Safety, The Cheesecake Factory
  • Jason P. Bashura, MPH, RS, PepsiCo R&D, Global Food Safety & Quality Assurance, Sr. Manager, Global Food Defense, PepsiCo
  • Peter Begg, Chief Quality and Food Safety Officer at Lyons Magnus
  • Rick Biros, Content Director & Publisher, Food Safety Tech (Committee Chairperson)
  • April Bishop, Chief Food Safety Officer, Urban Farmer
  • Byron D. Chaves, PhD., Associate Professor & Food Safety Extension Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • Michael Ciepiela,VP of Quality and Continuous Improvement, Southern Specialties
  • Darin Detwiler, L.P.D. Founder, Detwiler Consulting, LLC
  • Tracy Fink, Founder & Principal Advisor, ThinkFink Solutions, LLC
  • Melody Ge, Sr. Food Safety&Quality Advisor, MarsMel LLC, and President, Women In Food Safety
  • Jorge Hernandez, Quality Assurance VP, The Wendy’s Company
  • Jill Hoffman, Senior Director, Food Safety and Quality
B&G Foods, Inc
  • Justyce Jedlicka, NA Commercial Applications – Food & Beverage Regulatory Science & Lab Solutions, BioMonitoring, MilliporeSigm
  • Barbara C. Kowalcyk, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Institute for Food
    Safety and Nutrition Security, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University
  • Jennifer Lott, Technical Development Director – Certification and Tailored Solutions, SGS North America
  • Melanie Neumann, President, Neumann Advisory Services, LLC
  • Debby Newslow, President, D. L. Newslow & Associates, Inc.

Submission Deadline: All abstracts must be submitted by Friday, May 22, 2026

Go to FoodSafetyConsortium.org and click on the Submit an Abstract button or use this link below:

Click Here to Submit an Abstract

The Cannabis Quality Conference is back! The Cannabis Quality Conference and the Food Safety Consortium will take place under one roof and at the same time. With both food and cannabis markets innovating relentlessly with new technology and best practices to improve quality and safety, the two conferences running alongside each other will allow for a meeting of the minds like no other.