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Food & Nutrition
FDA Salt Substitutes to Reduce the Sodium in Standardized Foods Final Rule at OMB for Review
The FDA final rule, "Use of Salt Substitutes to Reduce the Sodium Content in Standardized Foods," has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. This is the final step in the government clearance process before the final rule gets released to the public, signaling that the rule may be published soon, pending OMB approval. The agency is amending the regulations to permit the use of salt substitutes in standardized foods in which salt (sodium chloride) is a required or optional ingredient. While details of the final rule are not yet available, the Unified Agenda states that the new regulations would support industry efforts to reduce sodium content in standardized foods.
Nebraska Signs Law to Ban Food Dyes in School Meals
Nebraska signed a new law that will prohibit schools from making available any food served as part of a school meal that contains red dye 40, blue dye 1, blue dye 2, yellow dye 5, yellow dye 6, and green dye 3, beginning August 1, 2027. The enactment of this legislation makes Nebraska the eleventh state to sign a law to prohibit or require labeling of food and beverage products that contain certain food additives, dyes, and ingredients. To date, food additive restriction laws have been enacted in the following states: California, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Utah, and West Virginia.
President Trump Nominates Dr. Erica Schwartz to Serve as CDC Director
President Trump nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is currently being led in an acting capacity by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who assumed oversight of the agency in February. He is expected to remain in the role throughout the confirmation process, which could take several months. Dr. Schwartz previously served as Chief Medical Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard and as Deputy Surgeon General during the first Trump administration. In addition to Dr. Schwartz’s nomination, President Trump announced several executive appointments at the CDC, including naming FDA Deputy Commissioner Dr. Sara Brenner as Senior Counselor for Public Health to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
House Introduces Food Labeling Modernization Act
Representatives Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reintroduced the Food Labeling Modernization Act, which would direct HHS to establish a single, standard front-of-package nutrition labeling system for all food products required to bear nutrition labeling. The legislation would also require the agency to define terms such as “natural”, require formatting requirements for ingredient statements and the principal display panel, amend standards of identity regulations to provide for the use of salt substitutes, and establish food allergen labeling requirements, among several other provisions. The legislation was previously introduced in the 2023 legislative session, but did not pass either chamber.
Congress Introduces the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act
Representative Eric Crawford (R-AR) and Senator James Justice (R-WV) introduced the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to use their benefits to purchase hot rotisserie chicken. Under current law, SNAP benefits generally cannot be used to purchase hot, prepared foods at the point of sale.
House Introduces the Accountable Produce is Medicine Act
Representative Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) introduced the Accountable Produce is Medicine Act, which would direct the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to test a new bundled payment model that integrates produce prescription interventions into care for patients with chronic diseases. Under the legislation, through a “food is medicine” approach, eligible individuals would gain access to nutrition-focused support, including healthy foods, care coordination, and monitoring services. Organizations supporting the bill include the National Produce Prescription Collaborative, the Coalition for Metabolic Health, the National Alliance to Impact Social Determinants of Health, and the International Fresh Produce Association, among others.
House Introduces the Baby Food Safety Act to Establish Heavy Metal Limits in Baby Food
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced the Baby Food Safety Act, which would establish limits on heavy metals in infant and toddler food and require manufacturer product testing. Specifically, the legislation would direct FDA to establish enforceable limits on heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, in infant and toddler food, and require routine sampling and testing of baby food products by manufacturers, including finished products. The legislation comes as several states, including California, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia, have enacted similar laws requiring baby food manufacturers to test their products for heavy metals and publicly disclose the results.
House Energy and Commerce Committee to Host Legislative Hearing on Food Regulation
The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health is hosting the hearing, “Healthier America: Legislative Proposals on the Regulation and Oversight of Food,” on April 29, 2026. The hearing will examine 28 legislative proposals spanning a broad range of food policy issues, including food and chemical safety, the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) framework, food dyes, infant formula, labeling requirements, standards of identity, and allergens.
NIH to Host Prevention Webinar on Ultra-Processed Foods and Health Outcomes
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Disease Prevention Website is hosting a webinar on May 4, 2026, on the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in contributing to poor health outcomes in the U.S. and particularly among communities experiencing differences in health outcomes. The seminar will aim to foster a comprehensive dialogue by bringing together panelists with diverse expertise, ranging from epidemiological research and clinical trials to policies in the United States. Featured speakers include Lauren O’Connor of the Texas A&M Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Evidence Center, as well as Jerold Mande and Josiemer Mattei of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
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