CHICAGO, June 5, 2026 — IFMA The Food Away from Home Association launched a new benefit for members: A roundup of regulatory developments affecting the food-away-from-home business, including policy changes that are part of the Administration's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. The report is compiled and written by Dr. Joy Dubost, a renowned food scientist and registered dietitian with strong knowledge of what's happening on the regulatory front.

Food regulation update June 19: FDA, MAHA, and related developments

Dr. Joy Dubost, Food Scientist

CHICAGO, June 19, 2026 — The following is a roundup of regulatory developments affecting the food-away-from-home business, including policy changes that are part of the Administration's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. The report is compiled and written by Dr. Joy Dubost, a renowned food scientist and registered dietitian with strong knowledge of what's happening on the regulatory front.

FDA

"Healthy" Foods & UPF

The Trump administration is reportedly considering exempting foods that qualify for FDA's "healthy" claim from its forthcoming federal definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), according to a Bloomberg report citing individuals familiar with the discussions. Infant formulas may also receive a similar exemption. The definition is expected to include consideration of food additives and artificial colors while attempting to distinguish between highly processed foods associated with poor health outcomes and products that provide meaningful nutritional benefits. "The list of targeted additives may include specific types of emulsifiers, stabilizers and artificial colors, among others," says the report. This approach aligns with the recent language used in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines.

If adopted, the approach would not necessarily align with the NOVA classification, which primarily focuses on the degree and purpose of processing rather than a product's nutritional profile. By incorporating FDA's "healthy" criteria, the administration appears to be signaling that nutrient density, and dietary contribution will play a role in determining whether a food is considered ultra-processed. This could be good news for the industry as foods such as certain yogurts, whole-grain breads, and other products that meet FDA's healthy requirements could potentially avoid UPF designation despite containing some processed ingredients. However, the nutritional criteria for the "healthy" designation are restrictive and has been something that Kennedy noted FDA may relook at to better align with the current Dietary Guidelines.

In addition, Secretary Kennedy and FDA officials have noted a federal UPF definition is expected to serve as the foundation for future MAHA-related policy initiatives, including potential front-of-package labeling, school nutrition standards, procurement policies, and consumer education efforts. While the administration has not yet released the official definition, there has been some indication that FDA could provide a guidance document versus an official regulatory definition. According to sources familiar with the matter, the forthcoming UPF definition is unlikely to be issued as a formal regulation. Instead, the administration is expected to adopt a government-wide research definition, providing a common framework for federal studies and policy development while avoiding the longer timelines associated with rulemaking. This may explain why we have yet to see it listed on OMB's website. However, with this approach you must wonder if this will cause greater confusion particularly at the retail or consumer level. Will companies start to declare non-UPF on-pack or create a voluntary logo to align with this potential guidance? In the meantime, states like California and Arizona have created their own state level definition. As the rumors continue to swirl it is prudent for companies to take inventory of ingredients and assess the nutritional profile of their products.

MAHA

HR 5404

MAHA Action is encouraging all MAHA supporters to contact their respective lawmakers to support US HR 5404, the Make America Healthy Again Act of 2025. This legislation would codify President Trump's Executive Order 14212 into federal law, making the MAHA Commission a permanent statutory body rather than a temporary executive initiative. By embedding the commission into law, the legislation would allow its activities and policy objectives to continue beyond the current administration and provide a more durable framework for advancing MAHA-related health priorities. Supporters argue that codification would provide long-term stability for the commission's work and strengthen congressional backing for initiatives focused on chronic disease prevention, nutrition, and health policy reform. The bill reflects ongoing efforts by MAHA advocates to institutionalize the movement's principles and ensure they remain a part of the federal policy landscape regardless of future changes in administration.

Key MAHA Power Broker

POLITICO reports that Chris Klomp, a senior adviser to HHS Secretary Kennedy has become one of the most influential figures driving the administration's MAHA agenda. Klomp has overseen the nomination of a new director for the CDC and has been pushing the focus on healthy eating. Backed by President Trump, who has publicly praised him as "a real star," Klomp is playing a significant role in coordinating health policy across the administration and helping advance MAHA priorities, including agency reform and chronic disease initiatives. Klomp has a growing influence within both HHS and the White House as the administration seeks to translate MAHA goals into long-term policy changes.

FEDERAL

OMB Proposal Raises Concerns

As previously reported, The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released a proposed rule to the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR), the government-wide framework governing federal grants and cooperative agreements. At a surface level it appears the proposal improves transparency, accountability, and oversight for Federal awards across the Federal Government. OMB notes this would ensure American tax dollars are not wasted or misused, activities performed under Federal awards are consistent with law and policy, and recipients are held accountable when they fail to meet relevant standards. In addition, the proposal attempts to address principles of equality and equal opportunity. However, after further review, there are serious concerns being raised by researchers, universities and scientific associations.

The proposal would revise 56 sections and add four new provisions, transforming many long-standing grant administration practices from agency guidance into binding regulations. If finalized, the rule would centralize greater authority within OMB and political leadership while reducing agency discretion in research funding decisions.

Among the most significant changes, all discretionary awards would require approval by a senior political appointee before funds are provided. The proposal also clarifies that peer review recommendations are advisory rather than determinative, allowing agencies greater flexibility to fund or decline to fund projects based on broader policy considerations. Agencies would gain expanded authority to terminate awards that no longer align with program goals, agency priorities, or national interests. Additional provisions would restrict certain international research collaborations, limit the allowability of publication and journal subscription costs, and require research projects to be categorized as basic research, applied research, or experimental development.

For the food and agriculture sector, the proposal could have important implications for federally funded nutrition, food science, agricultural, and public health research. Industry-supported projects conducted through universities or public-private partnerships may face increased scrutiny regarding alignment with administration priorities, while international collaborations and dissemination of research findings could become more challenging. At the same time, the proposal encourages agencies to utilize multi-year awards.

The changes could affect several major funding mechanisms frequently used by food, agriculture, and nutrition researchers. These include grants from the USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which supports research on human nutrition, food safety, food quality, agricultural innovation, and food systems. Research funded through the NIH, including studies on obesity, diabetes, precision nutrition, the microbiome, and chronic disease prevention, could also be impacted by the new review and oversight provisions. Similarly, FDA cooperative agreements which often support food safety, nutrition labeling, and regulatory science initiatives would likely fall under the revised framework. Small businesses developing innovative food, ingredients, agricultural, and nutrition technologies through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs may also face additional review and compliance requirements.

While the proposal does not necessarily reduce federal research funding levels, it could significantly alter how funding decisions are made, who influences those decisions, and how long projects remain funded. For food companies, ingredient suppliers, universities, and trade associations that rely on federal partnerships to support scientific research, the proposal represents a potentially significant shift in the federal research landscape. Public comments on the proposed rule are open through July 13, 2026, and extensive feedback from universities, scientific societies, industry groups, and research organizations is expected. Responses should reference the relevant section number within the proposal (e.g., [200.461]) and must be submitted through regulations.gov referencing (Docket ID: OMB-2026-0034).

House Advances Ag-FDA Funding Bill

As previously reported, the House advanced its FY2027 Agriculture-FDA appropriations bill, which would provide the FDA with $7.1 billion in funding. Of that amount, $1.28 billion is allocated to the Human Foods Program, slightly below the agency's $1.29 billion request. After further review of this bill, a series of policy directives were made by the House that could significantly influence the agency's food regulatory agenda over the next year. While appropriations bills do not change underlying law, they can direct how agencies use funding and often signal congressional priorities for oversight and future legislation.

Several provisions are particularly notable for food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers.

• The bill would prohibit FDA from pursuing additional long-term sodium reduction targets until the agency evaluates the impact of its existing voluntary sodium reduction goals.
• It would also provide industry flexibility on implementation of FDA's new "healthy" claim rule by allowing companies to rely on either the old or new criteria until the compliance date in February 2028, while reinforcing federal preemption over conflicting state requirements.
• Citing the rise in emerging food allergies, the committee encourages FDA to identify additional allergens that may warrant labeling as non-major allergens and to pursue rulemaking to support such disclosures on packaged foods.
• The committee supports FDA's efforts to strengthen food chemical oversight and encourages continued research on UPFs.
• The committee urges FDA and USDA to ensure that any UPF definition is science-based, reflects nutritional value, and does not inadvertently capture nutrient-dense foods. Medical foods, foods for special dietary uses, and infant formulas should be excluded.
• The committee raised concerns about the growing patchwork of state ingredient regulations and reaffirmed FDA's lead role in evaluating the safety of food additives, color additives, and GRAS substances.
• The committee encourages FDA to review Nutrition Facts label tolerance thresholds to ensure nutrient declarations accurately reflect product content and provide Congress with an update within 180 days.

The measure now moves through the appropriations process, with the Senate expected to develop its own proposal, setting up negotiations later this year over both funding levels and food policy riders. Currently, there is no scheduled markup date for the Senate.

Gluten Allergen Bill

Reps. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05) and Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) introduced the Celiac Safety Act of 2026 in the House, which would require the FDA to classify "gluten-containing grains" as a major food allergen. The bill would require food manufacturers to label all gluten-containing ingredients in products sold to consumers. Current U.S. allergen labeling rules require disclosure of wheat, but not other gluten-containing grains such as barley and rye.

USDA

SNAP Cuts Impact on State Budgets

Six senators who previously served as governors warned that proposed SNAP cost shifts in H.R.1 aka the "big beautiful bill" would sharply increase state spending and threaten food assistance for low-income families. They urged the Senate to extend the full two-year delay of the cost shift for all states. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) noted that on average, states will be forced to spend 2-3 times of their previous SNAP budget on the program.

Grants for SNAP

USDA has announced up to $4 million in funding for a SNAP Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives project aimed at increasing purchases of qualifying fluid milk among SNAP participants. The program will test point-of-purchase incentives at authorized retailers to assess whether financial incentives can encourage healthier purchasing decisions and greater milk consumption among SNAP households.

FDA

PFAS

FDA has updated its PFAS webpage to outline upcoming actions and ongoing research related to PFAS in food. Planned activities include establishing allowable PFAS levels in bottled water, addressing PFAS contamination risks in imported clams, and expanding testing to support potential action levels for infant formula. The agency also announced the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry, which will enable detection of additional PFAS compounds in foods and help inform future monitoring efforts.

STATES

Colorado MAHA Tour

HHS Secretary Kennedy launched GetActive.gov, a new online resource designed to encourage physical activity, fitness, outdoor recreation, and active living as part of the administration's MAHA agenda. During a multi-stop Colorado tour, Kennedy joined Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to highlight efforts to expand public access to federal lands and outdoor recreation opportunities, describing movement and healthy lifestyles as key tools for addressing chronic disease. The trip also emphasized nutrition and healthy aging. Kennedy toured an InnovAge PACE facility to learn about integrated care, nutrition, and physical activity programs for older adults, and visited Fort Carson to review the Army's campus-style dining modernization program, which focuses on providing servicemembers with greater access to nutrient-dense and locally sourced foods. The visits reflect the administration's broader approach to chronic disease prevention through a combination of nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle interventions.

Kennedy's Michigan Tour

During stops across Michigan as part of his "Take Back Your Health" tour, HHS Secretary Kennedy emphasized the administration's focus on improving access to nutritious foods and preventing chronic disease. Visits included a family-owned farm, the Flint Farmers' Market, and Kids' Food Basket, where discussions centered on local food systems, nutrition education, and increasing access to fresh, nutrient-dense foods for children and families. Kennedy also highlighted the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, encouraging greater consumption of protein-rich, whole foods as part of the administration's broader MAHA agenda.

OTHER NEWS

Sauerkraut Anybody?

A Wall Street Journal article highlights an unusual health trend gaining popularity among senior Trump administration officials: a fermented-food-focused diet built around sauerkraut, kimchi, grass-fed meats, and the elimination of sugar and alcohol. Led by physician Sean O'Mara, the approach has reportedly been adopted by HHS Secretary Kennedy, Vice President JD Vance, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who credit the regimen with weight loss and improved health outcomes. This underscores the growing influence of MAHA-aligned nutrition philosophies within the administration. The focus on fermented foods, the microbiome, metabolic wellness, and eliminating UPF offers another signal of the direction federal nutrition and food policy discussions may continue to take under Kennedy's leadership.

Social Media and UPF

A new study in the Journal of Food Processing and Preservation found that highly engaged posts on X discuss processed foods in mostly negative terms, often describing them as harmful to health. These conversations focused largely on processed carbohydrates, sugar, processed meats, and UPFs, and some also promoted food-industry conspiracy theories. Researchers said the term "processed food" is often used broadly as a shorthand for health risk, highlighting social media's growing role in shaping public views of food processing. The authors recommend that food companies, regulators, and science communicators provide clearer, more transparent information about ingredients, processing methods, scientific evidence, and regulatory oversight.

Speaking of X and UPFs, HHS posted a video of Secretary Kennedy declaring the American people have been mass-poisoned by ultra-processed foods.

Kids Intake of Added Sugars

The Global Food Institute at George Washington University released a report outlining policy approaches to help reduce added sugar consumption among children in line with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Recommendations include stronger school nutrition standards, voluntary sugar-reduction targets for food manufacturers, front-of-package nutrition labeling, restrictions on marketing to children, and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. The report also emphasizes reducing sugar through product reformulation rather than replacing sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners.

Food Company Removes FD&C Dyes

Nestlé USA announced that it has completed the removal of FD&C colors from its U.S. portfolio, meeting its commitment to do so by mid-2026. Secretary Kennedy praised Nestlé on his LinkedIn profile page for this achievement.