- On November 12, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the 2026 edition of the Voluntary Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards, which defines the key elements of an effective retail food regulatory program that can be adopted by state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) food regulatory agencies.
- The following changes were made to the 2026 edition based on recommendations from the 2025 Conference for Food Protection Biennial Meeting:
- New definition for “Risk Based Inspection”
- New definition for “Intervention Strategy”
- The Retail Program Standards include recommendations for designing and managing retail initiatives, as well as recognizing programs that show progress in implementing the standards. It aligns with the policies provided in the 2026 Food Code, which was just published in September.
- Keller and Heckman will continue to monitor and relay food regulatory updates.