The National Institutes of Health Office of Nutrition Research (ONR) announced the release of an interagency request for information (RFI) for Food is Medicine research opportunities around 1) community outreach and engagement, 2) education and training, 3) provision of services and activities, and 4) coverage for services for Food is Medicine. The ONR is seeking feedback from individuals and organizations in the health and nutrition fields to help inform research planning efforts and strategies for implementing Food is Medicine activities at NIH and other federal agencies by June 30, 2023. 

The FDA released new “Feed Your Mind” educational materials to provide science-based information on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for consumers. The new educational materials include a factsheet about how scientists use genome editing to develop food crops, infographics about the environmental benefits of GMOs, and videos featuring how GMOs are regulated in the U.S. Launched in 2020, the “Feed Your Mind” education initiative aims to help increase consumer understanding of GMOs, developed in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced a series of grant opportunities to help advance the agency’s mission to innovate and modernize the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). FNS is inviting WIC state agencies to apply for grant opportunities for projects aimed at planning and implementing efforts to improve the WIC shopping experience and make WIC easier to access through technologies and supporting electronic payments in the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. This announcement builds upon FNS’s ongoing efforts to innovate and modernize WIC and the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning notices to 670 companies involved in the marketing of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, homeopathic products, dietary supplements, and functional foods urging them to avoid advertisements that make product claims that cannot be substantiated. Under FTC law, companies are required to substantiate any claims about the health or safety benefits of a product based on scientific evidence. The agency warned that these companies could face civil penalties if they fail to adequately substantiate their product claims, yet a company's inclusion on the list of recipients of the notice does not suggest that it has engaged in deceptive or unfair conduct.

The FDA issued a letter that warns manufacturers to be cautious of introducing allergens from animals into new genetically engineered plant varieties. FDA suggests manufacturers consider the food safety risks posed by these animal allergens and plan early in development to manage the risks. For example, FDA cited that adding a gene for an allergenic animal protein to a new plant “could result in the presence of an unexpected allergen” that could have severe or even life-threatening reactions even at low levels, the agency said. In the letter, FDA stated it’s not aware of any foods currently in the U.S. market from these types of new plant varieties but that there is growing research and development in this area.

The USDA announced an investment of $46 million to support sustainable agriculture research and education as part of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. This investment will provide grants and education programs to promote climate-smart practices for U.S. farms and ranches. The awarded projects support a range of topics, including supporting producers with on-farm renewable energy, pest and weed management, cover crops, high tunnel and session extension, crop rotations, marketing, pollinator health and local and regional food system development.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala released the city's first integrated greenhouse gas inventory, which incorporates emissions from the production and consumption of food. The inventory found that 20% of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions come from household food consumption, primarily from meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. In response to the new inventory, the city is committing to reducing its carbon emissions from food purchases by 33% by 2030, including through the launch of the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge which urges private, institutional, and nonprofit sectors to reduce their food-based emissions by 25% by 2030.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established a revised tolerable daily intake (TDI) limit for bisphenol A (BPA) at 0.2 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day, following a re-evaluation of the health risks related to the presence of BPA in food products. This revised TDI represents a significant reduction from the previous TDI of 4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day. In the re-evaluation, EFSA concluded that contrary to earlier findings, dietary exposure to BPA is a health concern for consumers across all age groups. BPA, a chemical commonly used to manufacture polycarbonate plastic, can migrate from food contact materials into food and beverages.  

The French consumer organization, UFC-Que Choisir, published a report suggesting that food and beverage manufacturers who displayed the Nutri-Score label on their food products resulted in the 'improved' nutritional quality of these products from 2015-2022. The report found that ​​the proportion of Nutri-Score ‘A’ and ‘B’ labels increased from 8% to 38% for breakfast cereals and from 40% to 62% for specialty bread and rusks. Food categories where Nutri-Score was not widely displayed did not experience significant changes in nutritional composition compared to these products with the Nutri-Score label.

Fun Fact: Bijin-hime or “beautiful princess” strawberries, made at Okuda Farms in Japan, are the most expensive strawberries in the world, priced at $365 per strawberry.