January 2026

Welcome to January's Label Alert! In this month's headlines, food industry trade groups sue Texas over new warning label requirements, new dietary guidelines are delayed, USDA policy updates, and more.

And this month we're offering Early Bird savings on registration to the 2026 Food Labeling Conference.

Now, get caught up on the latest industry news from Label Alert.

Food industry groups sue Texas over ingredient warning labels

Food industry trade groups have sued Texas over a new state law that requires warning labels for ingredients like food dyes and preservatives, saying that the new labels violate companies’ free speech rights and risk confusing customers.  

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New dietary guidelines delayed again as RFK Jr. plans to reject expert panel's recommendations

The latest update to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans has been delayed yet again, the New York Times reports, and won't be released until after the new year. The government is legally required to update the influential document every five years, and this latest delay means that the Trump administration will miss that deadline.

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USDA policy update: “Product of USA” labeling rules, SNAP waiver expansions and nutrition-focused purchases

Recent policy moves reflect USDA’s broader direction toward nutrition-focused food assistance, domestic sourcing transparency and support of American agriculture.

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FDA sends warning to major retailers including Target, Walmart amid infant botulism outbreak

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to major retailers including Albertsons, Kroger, Target and Walmart for "failing to remove" recalled ByHeart infant formula products from store shelves that have been linked to at least 51 infant botulism cases so far.

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San Francisco sues Kraft Heinz, other food giants over ultraprocessed products

San Francisco’s city attorney filed the first government lawsuit against makers of ultraprocessed foods, claiming giants including Kraft Heinz and Coca-Cola knowingly marketed products that put consumers’ health at risk. 

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FDA expands artificial intelligence capabilities with agentic AI deployment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the deployment of agentic AI capabilities for all agency employees. Agentic AI capabilities will enable the creation of more complex AI workflows—harnessing various AI models—to assist with multi-step tasks.

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