With looming regulation shifts, IFT webinar offers guidance

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With looming regulation shifts, IFT webinar offers guidance

15 Jun 2026

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

CHICAGO — Across the food industry, producers, including commercial bakers, have had to weather a deluge of proposed FDA regulation reform, covering everything from food dyes and additives to GRAS oversight.

To help food manufacturers understand everything being proposed and what it can mean for their businesses, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is hosting What the Latest Food Policy Debates Mean for the Food System, a free interactive webinar open to the public on June 17 at noon CT. Panelists will include Anna Rosales, VP of science and policy at IFT, and Brendan Niemira, chief science and technology officer of IFT.

The session topic is inspired by proposals mentioned during “Healthier America: Legislative Proposals on the Regulation and Oversight of Food,” a hearing held April 29 by the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health.

“As the conversation around food regulation gains momentum in Washington, it’s more important than ever for the food science community to understand what’s changing, what it means, and how to respond,” Rosales said.

“This is an opportunity for food scientists and industry professionals to understand the policy trajectory, separate signal from noise, and begin preparing for the real-world implications ahead.” — Anna Rosales | VP of science and policy | IFT

During the hour-long webinar, Rosales and Niemira will explain the policy trajectory indicated from the hearing, engage with attendees about what these changes could mean for food manufacturers and provide some guidance on how to prepare for these looming changes. The agenda will explore key themes influencing food oversight, explain the GRAS reform and what it could mean for the ingredient space, and expand on the distinction between the science and perception of food additives and dyes, as well as ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

“This is an opportunity for food scientists and industry professionals to understand the policy trajectory, separate signal from noise, and begin preparing for the real-world implications ahead,” Rosales continued.

For more information on the webinar, visit the IFT website.

This session tees up a lineup of Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda-influenced programming at the upcoming IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo, to be held July 11-15 in Chicago. Related programming touches on the MAHA movement’s progress, insights on natural colors, and the impact of looming UPF regulations.

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