Authorities at the Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday that they would delay by two and a half years a rule meant to help track and remove contaminated food more efficiently through the supply chain.
This rule was designed to reduce illness and deaths caused by contaminated food, and it required better documentation from food producers and sellers about where foods are farmed, packaged, processed or manufactured.
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Initially scheduled to start in January 2026, it came from a major food safety law passed in 2011 and was supported during former President Trump’s early time in office.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who now heads the health department, has shown strong interest in reducing harmful chemicals in food. He recently introduced a plan to remove artificial food dyes and created a new online tool for the public to check which foods may contain toxic ingredients.
Despite this, other decisions made during the Trump administration have weakened attempts to deal with bacteria and food contamination. These included cutting funds used by scientists for testing food and ending a committee that was focused on food safety.
Recent years have seen outbreaks that made headlines, including a deadly listeria case linked to Boar’s Head meat and E. coli contamination found in onions used in McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.
Delay Sparks Worry Among Consumer Groups
A number of food safety organizations expressed concern about the delay announced on Thursday. Brian Ronholm, who works on food policy at Consumer Reports, said this decision was upsetting.
He believes it leaves people vulnerable to getting sick from unsafe food because a small part of the food industry asked for extra time, even though they’ve had 15 years to prepare for the new rule.
While a lot of grocery stores and food retailers have already taken steps to meet the rule’s standards, industry groups representing food companies still pushed for a delay back in December. The Los Angeles Times reported that this lobbying effort was part of a larger campaign.
That same month, food manufacturers and corporate trade organizations sent a letter to President Trump where they listed several regulations they believed were hurting economic activity. In that letter, they specifically asked for the food tracing rule to be delayed and reduced.
Sarah Sorscher, who leads regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, described the delay as a huge loss for food safety. She pointed out that the rule had support from both political sides.
According to Ms. Sorscher, the rule would have helped both customers and companies. She said with modern tracking systems, businesses could avoid massive damage to their reputation, cut costs during food recalls, and better protect public health.
