David Joy Quoted in Food Processing Article on Food Safety in 2024

Keller and Heckman Partner David Joy was quoted in the Food Processing article, “Food Safety 2024: Can FDA and USDA Keep Up?” The article explores the ways in which both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will look and act by the end of 2024, especially with technological market advances and new state regulations.

“We’ll see how the new structure works out, but we know for sure the agency will face challenges,” commented David on the current overhaul of FDA. “Protecting the human food supply in the United States is always a daunting task, and FDA can always use more resources. The recent discovery of elevated lead and chromium in children’s applesauce pouches is a good example of a very serious food safety issue that cropped up unexpectedly.”

Additionally, David remarked on FDA’s task of revising the definition of “healthy” in its food labeling regulations. “The current definition turns 30 years old this year,” said David. “Ideally, [a new definition] will be finalized before the new, 2025 edition of the Dietary Guidelines is issued.”

FDA also revealed they are working on a proposed regulation that would require front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labeling to help consumers more quickly and easily make healthy choices. David said he doubts it will motivate many consumers, but if FOP rules are created, “This might prompt some food manufacturers to tweak their recipes to avoid unfavorable FOP information, similar to the mass reformulations to get rid of trans fat when that was added to the nutrition facts panel 20 years ago.”

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