Food policy in Washington, D.C. continues to take center stage. The recent House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on “Healthier America: Legislative Proposals on the Regulation and Oversight of Food” brought forward a slate of proposals touching everything from GRAS oversight and food chemical reassessment, front-of-pack and readability reforms, infant formula and baby food protections to food dyes and additives, supplement listing, and FDA capacity and coordination.

Beyond the bills discussed, the hearing reflected a broader federal landscape in which Congress, FDA, USDA, and HHS are revisiting how the government evaluates food safety, defines and communicates healthy choices, improves labeling transparency, and strengthens confidence in the food system.

IFT is hosting an interactive Community Conversation led by IFT Chief Science and Technology Officer, Brendan Niemira, PhD, and IFT VP of Science and Policy, Anna Rosales, RD. In addition to breaking down the policy trajectory emerging from the hearing, Dr. Niemira and Ms. Rosales will engage attendees in thoughtful discussions around the real-world implications of these proposed regulatory changes and will dive into what the food science community can do to prepare.

Free and open to the public, attendees will gain a clear summary of the key policy themes driving current congressional action on food oversight, a practical view of how GRAS reform and food chemical review could change the ingredient landscape, as well as why additives, dyes, and ultra-processed foods remain central in the science vs perception debate.