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Although DRIs are foundational to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans , the Nutrition Facts Label , and other federal nutrition policies and programs , there is no dedicated funding stream or statutory requirement for updating DRIs . For decades , there have only been a few DRI updates , and this has been dependent on sporadically available funding support provided by Congress to federal agencies . Today , many nutrient DRIs are outdated or have yet to be developed , necessitating the need for mandatory updating and funding to support a regular schedule of DRI development and updates .
Funding foundational science in food and nutrition , like DRI development , is essential to ensuring accurate dietary recommendation and that related federal , state , and local food and nutrition programs meet the needs of Americans .
FSMA Rule 204
Implementation of the FDA ’ s Rule 204 , better known as the Food Traceability Rule , will be a significant step forward in the protection of the food supply when the compliance deadline of January 20 , 2026 , arrives . When the FDA announced the Food Traceability Rule on November 21 , 2022 , it gave food companies three years to ensure that their food traceability system allows the food organization to support critical tracking events and key data elements , traceability lot codes , a traceability plan , as well as the ability to provide data to the FDA within 24 hours .
Part of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act ( FSMA ) that was initiated over a decade ago , Rule 204 is designed to help facilitate more efficient recalls of high-risk foods in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak by requiring the capture and sharing of product identification and movement data throughout the food chain . It is also meant to allow for quicker and more accurate tracking of potentially harmful foods . Draft legislation in 2024 Appropriations Bills could delay implementation of the Food Traceability Rule – a proposal that delays much needed improvements and unnecessarily puts people at risk with food recalls on the rise .
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
The food science community must also have a ‘ seat at the table ’ and have representation in critical forums , such as the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee , which is comprised of a group of nationally recognized scientific experts in food and nutrition that provides independent ,
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