ASTA Draft Risk Profile Comments

In November 2025, ASTA signed a Safe Food Coalition letter requesting that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy fully fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), the only active foodborne illness surveillance network in the U.S., in response to proposed cuts to the program. The letter was co-signed by both trade associations and public health organizations concerned with this reduction in capacity on active foodborne illness surveillance.

In January 2025, ASTA submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its discussion paper on the development of an enhanced systematic process for the post-market assessment of chemicals in food. ASTA's comment note that environmental contaminants are unique and should be addressed using a separate or modified approach to that used for intentionally added chemicals. The comments also call for the development of additional guidance to assist industry with setting appropriate thresholds for contaminants.