Dairy Innovations
Better Dairy self-affirms GRAS status for lactopontin
The precision fermentation company is targeting US nutrition and supplement launches while pursuing a separate regulatory pathway for infant formula
Regulation
FDA eases salt-substitute rules amid MAHA push for healthier foods
The final rule gives food and beverage manufacturers greater flexibility to reduce sodium in products ranging from bread rolls and canned tuna to salad dressing and cheese, supporting FDA’s broader sodium-reduction goals
AI shopping assistants could become the next retail media battleground
The technology promises convenience and personalization, but critics say it may deepen existing pay-to-play dynamics between retailers and brands
USDA official warns of legal risks as MAHA leans on ‘government by signal’
Voluntary commitments, agency guidance and informal government-industry engagement can move food policy faster, but they may also expose companies to litigation and state-level regulatory patchwork, says USDA General Counsel Tyler Clarkson
News Bites
Big Food’s moves on climate, nutrition and tech
Food companies, policymakers and researchers reshape the conversation around food production and processing, as business strategies are evolving alongside them
92% want to eat better. Only 14% think they do
New research from Ahold Delhaize reveals a striking gap between intention and action, highlighting the role retailers, manufacturers and policymakers can play in making healthier choices more affordable, accessible and achievable
FDA’s GRAS overhaul could add pressure to agency – can AI help?
SciPinion says its new SciBridge Safety Suite can help companies identify and document similarities between new ingredients and substances FDA has previously reviewed, potentially easing pressure on an already resource-constrained agency
Flavors of the future: global inspiration meets local innovation
Letter from the editor: Flavors of the future
From Filipino ube to North African harissa – how are global flavors shaping CPG innovation and what ingredients are leading the charge?
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
What’s holding organic back? The industry takes its case to Congress
Organic industry stakeholders press lawmakers on domestic production, infrastructure, farm relief and enforcement as the sector works to grow beyond $76 billion
Whole Foods CEO warns supply constraints could hinder organic industry’s next $24B
Organic sales reached $76.6 billion in 2025, but Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel says supply constraints, producer economics and price perceptions could determine how quickly the market reaches $100 billion
General Mills, Kellanova, Mars and McKee Foods sue sugar producers over alleged price-fixing
The food companies’ lawsuit alleges sugar producers used nonpublic competitor data to fix, raise and maintain granulated-sugar prices for years
How brands can rebuild trust after a recall
Food recalls trigger category-wide callouts and traceability emerges as a competitive and strategic tool for brands to maintain consumer trust
CPGs could get relief from packaging claims patchwork, but with strings attached
Two bipartisan bills advancing in Congress would establish national standards for recyclable and recycled-content claims, but environmental advocates are challenging their approach to mass balance and state preemption
News Bites
Food’s new rules: Regulation, reformulation and the reinvention of legacy brands
Transparency, health and regulation emerged as the defining forces shaping the food industry this month
FDA wants more GRAS oversight – but can it handle the workload?
FDA wants companies to notify the agency when they determine food ingredients are Generally Recognized As Safe. But with hundreds of potential notifications and fewer staff, questions remain over whether FDA has the resources to review them
Marion Nestle and former Kellogg exec team up on cereal industry exposé
‘Sugar Coated’ connects decades of cereal-box designs to the policies governing food labels and health claims
Could FDA’s GRAS proposal chill investment in novel food ingredients?
Mandatory GRAS notifications could make regulatory risk a bigger factor in fundraising, partnerships and M&A, potentially pushing innovators toward safer bets and away from riskier products
Grocery volume declines deepen as SNAP cuts reshape shopper behavior
As tighter SNAP eligibility reduces food-assistance participation, shoppers are shifting toward staples, value brands and lower-priced retailers, which is putting new pressure on grocery sales
Feds threaten prosecution over undisclosed digital surveillance pricing
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public input on a proposed enforcement policy targeting businesses that secretly use consumer data to set individualized prices
FDA considers new natural food color petitions as synthetic dye phaseout looms
Petitions seek approval for safflower yellow, expanded uses for gardenia blue and changes to carrot oil production as food makers move away from synthetic dyes
Canadian dairy groups urge Government to protect food sovereignty in US trade talks
Dairy groups in Canada have urged the Government to defend the sovereignty of its food production while in negotiations with the US.
New Trump tariffs ‘like deja vu’ according to food industry panel
As the administration replaces IEEPA duties with section 301 forced labor tariffs, food and beverage importers face renewed legal battles and supply chain uncertainty
GAO report: Walmart, Amazon lead in worker SNAP and Medicaid use
Big-box food retailers, including Amazon, Target, Kroger and more, employ tens of thousands of workers that qualify for public programs
The new sustainability playbook starts with suppliers
The race to build a climate-smart food system is putting ingredient suppliers in the spotlight
WK Kellogg Co to cut artificial dyes and BHT a year ahead of schedule
The cereal giant has faced intense scrutiny for its use of controversial ingredients like petroleum-based dyes and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Letter from the editor
Science, trust and the next era of food innovation
From combating food misinformation to redefining healthy eating and scaling AI-enabled innovation, IFT FIRST 2026 underscored how evidence-based science is reshaping the future of food
Court clears way for lawsuit challenging US ban on FODMAP labeling
The ruling reverses a 2024 dismissal and allows a challenge to federal limits on low-FODMAP package labels to move forward, potentially reaching the US Supreme Court
IFT FIRST
‘Facts aren’t enough’: IFT warns of growing food misinformation crisis
Nearly half of food science professionals are extremely concerned as viral content and distrust of institutions reshape the information landscape
Retailers rethink SNAP strategy as enrollment and spending decline
As SNAP enrollment shrinks, retailers rethink value, convenience and e-commerce
IFT FIRST
FDA to hand off food inspections to states
The administration’s BRIDGE Project is working to shift responsibility to states by 2030
Critics slam DOJ’s $3.3 million egg price-fixing settlement
Legal experts and antitrust watchdogs argue the penalty is negligible compared to billions allegedly earned through manipulated egg prices