New Business Models and Retail Modernization - Core Element 3 of the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint

This Core Element focuses both on new ways of producing and delivering food, and more traditional retail establishments. Online shopping for meals and groceries has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The way that food is delivered to consumers’ homes has rapidly evolved, with an ever-changing last mile. FDA is looking to address how to protect foods from contamination as e-commerce business models expand to meet the needs of the modern consumer.

The evolution of how food gets produced also includes the emergence of new business models that advance innovations in novel ingredients, and new foods.

Looking at more traditional business models, we’re exploring the best ways to further modernize and help ensure the safety of foods sold at restaurants and other retail establishments.

Initiatives

Education

5 Red Flags to Look For When Shopping for Meal Kits

With the increasing popularity of meal kits, the FDA highlights tips on what to do when a box first arrives at your door, including several red flags that may indicate unsafe food.

Retail Food Safety Association Collaboration Cooperative Agreement Program

The intended outcome of this cooperative agreement is leveraging the resources and strengths of national retail food safety associations to collaboratively advance retail food protection and reduce foodborne illness.

Summit on E-Commerce: Ensuring the Safety of Foods Ordered Online and Delivered Directly to Consumers

The summit helped the FDA to improve its understanding of how human and animal foods are sold through Business to Consumer (or B2C for short) e-commerce models across the U.S. and globally.