FPI 2026

Food Policy and Lay of the Land (01:00 PM – 01:45 PM)

FDA 2026 Priority Update (01:45 PM – 02:15 PM)

FDA’s Human Foods Program has outlined an ambitious agenda for 2026 that focuses on three core areas: food chemical safety, nutrition and chronic disease prevention, and microbiological food safety. This session will provide an update on the Agency’s planned initiatives, including strengthening oversight of food chemicals and additives (such as reforms to the GRAS process), advancing nutrition policy (such as ultra-processed foods and front-of-pack labeling), and modernizing food safety systems (including enhanced inspections and imported food oversight).

USDA 2026 Priority Update (02:15 PM – 02:45 PM)

Eve Stoody, PhD, USDA Chief Policy Officer will highlight USDA’s food and nutrition-related focus areas, including the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) and DGA Strategic Partnerships, school meals and other nutrition assistance programs, including SNAP waiver approvals. Attendees will gain insight into how USDA is aligning food and agriculture policy with broader economic and public health objectives.

Networking Break (02:45 PM – 03:15 PM)

Congressional Update (03:15 PM – 04:15 PM)

2026 Food Policy and What’s Next (04:15 PM – 05:00 PM)

Speaker: Susan Mayne, PhD, Professor Adjunct, Yale School of Public Health. Regulatory agencies are required to follow rigorous processes for developing policies and regulations to assure procedural regularity, predictability, and consistency for all stakeholders, and to document reasoned decision-making. Public participation and reliance on high-quality scientific information are two key aspects underlying sound decision-making. But what happens when these norms are not followed? Dr. Mayne will discuss recent examples in food policy where departures from established norms have occurred, and the consequences of such departures, including arbitrary decision-making, misinformation, poor use of both public and private resources, failure to achieve desired impacts and declining public trust.

Networking Reception (05:00 PM – 06:30 PM)

Breakfast (08:00 AM – 08:50 AM)

Opening Remarks (08:50 AM – 09:00 AM)

DGA 2025 – 2030 and What’s Next (09:00 AM – 10:00 AM)

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) are the latest evolution in federal nutrition policy —what’s changed and why does it matter? Attendees will gain a better understanding of where the science behind the new DGAs falls short, how the DGAs compare with other dietary guidance, and what their adoption means for policy, practice, and child nutrition programs nationwide. Speakers: Kevin Klatt, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Nadia Davis, Senior Federal Policy Analyst, School Nutrition Association Anna Rosales, RD, IFT, Vice President, Science and Policy

Highly Processed Foods: Landscape and Implications (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)

This panel will examine the evolving landscape of ultra‑processed foods (UPFs) through three complementary lenses. The first segment will highlight current scientific research on UPFs, including emerging evidence on health impacts and classification challenges. The discussion will then shift to consumer insights, exploring public perceptions, purchasing behaviors, and communication gaps surrounding UPFs. The session will conclude with an overview of new non‑UPF certification efforts from leading organizations, outlining how these standards aim to guide industry reformulation and support clearer choices for consumers. Together, the panel will provide a comprehensive view of the science, sentiment, and solutions shaping the future of UPF policy and practice. Speakers: Alyssa Pike, RDN Nicholas Jury, PhD Marie Latulippe, MS, MBA, RDN Kelly Burgess, MBA, RD, LD Moderator: Lauren O Connor, PhD, MPH

Networking Break (11:00 AM – 11:30 AM)

GRAS/Additives State Activity vs. Federal Actions (11:30 AM – 01:00 PM)

As states take an increasingly active role in regulating the use of food ingredients—diverging from federal standards—what does this mean for the future of food policy in the U.S.? The panel will discuss how we arrived at the current situation from industry, legal, and regulatory perspectives, examining recent and emerging state-level actions on food colors, sweeteners, and additives, and what the state activities might mean for federal regulations. Experts will explore the legal, scientific, and industry implications of this evolving regulatory landscape, discussing key questions: Will we see greater state-federal alignment or continued fragmentation? How might these policies impact food manufacturers, consumers, and global trade? Speakers: Christine Forgues Schlenker, Assistant General Counsel, Cargill Craig Lewellyn, PhD, Senior Technical Fellow, J.S. Held Dan Colgrove, Partner, Novel Strategies Tony Pavel, Partner, Keller & Heckman

Lunch (01:00 PM – 02:00 PM)

Food Safety -Food Allergens (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

This session will provide an update on the current environment in food allergen regulation and stakeholder engagement. Building on recent public and expert meetings convened by the agency, the discussion will highlight FDA’s evolving approaches to food allergen thresholds — risk-based levels that could inform labeling, risk communication, and regulatory expectations across the food industry.

Harnessing Technology to Advance Food Innovation and Safety (03:00 PM – 04:00 PM)

Modern technology is actively reshaping how we ensure the safety of our supply chains, manufacture foods, and communicate nutrition information to stakeholders and consumers. This session begins with an overview of data-driven approaches to advance food safety and then transitions into a deeper look at advanced AI-driven platforms shaping food product development and consumer understanding. Eric Marshall open the session by discussing the Partnerships for Food Traceability’s role in leading a pilot program to help industry implement the food traceability rule. Jay Gilbert will explore how IFT CoDeveloper leverages AI to connect food scientists with IFT’s peer reviewed research and integrate scientific insights with regulatory information. Lastly, Yi Wang will present on the Food Additive Lens app, showcasing how AI can classify foods, identify additives, and generate plain-language explanations for consumers.