FDA Proposes Redesign of Human Foods Program to Enhance Coordinated Prevention and Response Activities

In a press release on January 31^st, commissioner Robert Califf announced transformative vision for the FDA Human Foods Program and a transformative vision for the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA, the FDA’s field-based operations) to support the FDA organization as a whole. The agency has carefully reviewed the findings and recommendations from an external evaluation conducted by an expert panel of the Reagan-Udall Foundation and a separate internal review of the agency’s infant formula supply chain response completed last year. The proposed structures for both groups will have clear priorities that are focused on protecting and promoting a safe, nutritious U.S. food supply that more quickly adapts to an ever-changing and evolving environment.

Under this plan, the functions of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Food Policy and Response (OFPR), as well as certain functions of ORA will be unified into a newly envisioned organization called the Human Foods Program. The FDA will conduct a competitive national search for a Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, who will oversee the Program. Other key elements of the proposed new Human Foods Program organization include:

• Creation of a Center for Excellence in Nutrition that prioritizes the agency’s ongoing efforts to help American consumers make more informed food choices, including by working with industry to offer healthier, more nutritious food products. The FDA proposes to establish an Office of Critical Foods, as directed by the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, within this center.
• Establishment of an Office of Integrated Food Safety System Partnerships that will focus on elevating, coordinating and integrating our food safety and response activities with state and local regulatory partners to more effectively meet the vision of an Integrated Food Safety System as envisioned in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. This newly proposed structure will ensure greater collaboration and support of state-level inspectional activities.

• To help support the agency’s scientifically grounded decision-making activities, a Human Foods Advisory Committee will be established. The Human Foods Advisory Committee will consist of external experts to advise on challenging and emerging issues in food safety, nutrition and innovative food technologies.

• While the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) will continue to operate as a stand-alone center, the relevant food safety activities will be closely coordinated between the CVM Center Director and Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. This proposed structure will allow CVM to support the Human Foods Program where its activities are relevant to human food safety.