FDA Suspends Key Food Safety Testing Amid Staff Cuts

WASHINGTON, April 17 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has halted a crucial quality control program for food testing laboratories due to significant staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to an internal email obtained by Reuters, the agency’s Food Emergency Response Network is suspending its proficiency testing program, which ensures accurate food testing for pathogens and contaminants.

This suspension follows the dismissal of around 20,000 HHS employees, deeply affecting public health initiatives. President Donald Trump’s administration aims to cut approximately $40 billion from the agency, leading to drastic staffing changes. The email emphasized that the loss of key personnel including a quality assurance officer and microbiologists will have an immediate impact on the testing program.

The proficiency testing program is crucial for laboratories that analyze various food products, including testing for the parasite Cyclospora in spinach and glyphosate in barley. These tests are vital for demonstrating the capabilities of the laboratories to handle food safety incidents. Without these capabilities, the FDA risks jeopardizing public health, as food safety laboratories depend on these quality tests to meet accreditation standards.

The email noted these Quality Controls are critical, asserting, “These PTs and Exercises are critical to demonstrating the competency and readiness of our laboratory network.” Following staffing changes, a promising initiative to improve testing for bird flu in various food products has also been stalled.

As for the future, the FDA is exploring alternative testing approaches and will share updates with participating laboratories. HHS, however, did not immediately respond to a request for comments on the situation.

This month, the FDA also announced a suspension of other food safety programs, further indicating the extent of disruptions within the agency. The ongoing cuts and program suspensions raise significant concerns about the agency’s ability to ensure food safety across the United States.