Food safety threats are evolving faster than many companies, and regulators, can keep up. Recent staff cuts to the FDA by the current US administration have resulted in fewer inspections at a time when risks are multiplying. Climate change, global trade, and supply chain volatility are introducing new hazards daily, while the rise of foodborne illness outbreaks, delayed recalls, and preventable deaths highlights the urgent reality: our current system wasn’t designed to handle today’s food supply, let alone tomorrow’s.

In fact, FDA data shows recalls are already on the rise—up 93% year-over-year from January to April 2025—driven largely by foreign material contamination like glass, plastic, and metal fragments. 

Section 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was created to accelerate outbreak response, but regulation alone isn’t enough. The future of food safety depends on proactive traceability that extends beyond compliance and brings businesses, regulators, and supply chains together.

Traceability through a legal lens

As Eric Edmunds, food industry lawyer and consultant—and a featured speaker in our webinar Traceability and Transparency: Leveraging Data for US Compliance—explains, real progress will require collaboration at every level. “So many FDA rules apply to registered facilities, but this rule applies to persons that handle food… That’s to bring in retail, farm-level type of regulation… But as we all know, the FDA doesn’t spend a lot of time inspecting grocery stores, restaurants, or even farms.”

If the federal government can’t do it alone, then the food and beverage (F&B) industry has a responsibility, and an opportunity, to act now. Here are three proactive traceability measures to combat today’s rising food safety threats.

Eric Edmunds | Founder, Edmunds Food Counsel, PLLC
Eric is an attorney and founder of Edmunds Food Counsel, PLLC, where he provides legal and regulatory consulting to the food industry. At the Oregon Department of Agriculture, he worked on FDA, USDA, and FSMA issues, and served as Food Safety Director and General Counsel. Eric currently chairs the Food Law Professional Development Group at IAFP.

1. Expand traceability beyond what’s required

The FDA’s food traceability list covers only certain categories of high-risk foods. But many forward-thinking companies are choosing to go further. “We’ve seen the industry response saying, essentially, we agree traceability is good… So we’re going to apply it across all categories, not just the FDA food traceability list,” Edmunds notes.

That mindset shift is critical. Limiting traceability to a narrow set of items only creates complexity, and means that insights gained for certain products may not be available for others. By extending traceability practices across all products, businesses take on a broader initial challenge, but they gain the opportunity to streamline compliance, simplify supplier management, and avoid costly “two-system” approaches that differ by customer or food category.

And the payoff? Faster recalls, stronger supply chain visibility, and the chance to position yourself as a preferred supplier by demonstrating compliance leadership.

2. Strengthen federal, state, and supply chain partnerships

Food safety doesn’t happen in isolation. As Edmunds explains, “An effective enforcement strategy is going to need to involve both state and local health officials… They’re the ones that really have their hands on these retail and other organizations.” Without collaboration at every level, enforcement and education will remain inconsistent and fragmented.

The same principle applies inside the supply chain. Too often, safety requirements are communicated top-down with little opportunity for discussion. “Compliance with this rule isn’t in a vacuum,” Edmunds stresses. “It really depends on the interactions both up and down the supply chain.”

This moment is an ideal time for food companies to have frank conversations with their suppliers and partners about harmonizing expectations. Aligning early prevents the chaos of mismatched requirements and sets the foundation for consistent, enforceable safety practices across the board.

3. Leverage digital platforms and AI to close the recall gap

Traditional recall processes like those built on phone calls, paper trails and scattered communications, simply can’t keep pace with the speed and scale of today’s food safety threats. By the time a contaminated product is traced and consumers are notified, it’s often already too late. 

Digital platforms, especially those powered by advanced AI, are changing that equation. Instead of relying on manual reviews and delayed reporting, AI-driven compliance platforms like TraceGains can: 

• Automate data extraction from incoming Certificates of Analysis (COAs). 
• Flag anything out-of-spec in real time before it moves further into production. 
• Capture Key Data Elements (KDEs) directly from suppliers, whether through uploaded COAs or via API connections.
• Pass that structured data into ERP and business intelligence systems, giving businesses a single source of truth that’s both actionable and auditable. 

This level of automation transforms compliance from a reactive, paperwork-heavy process into a proactive safeguard. Faster, more accurate data flow means recalls can be initiated earlier, risks can be isolated with greater precision, and supply chain partners stay aligned. 

But the benefits don’t stop with safety. Beyond meeting FSMA 204 requirements, digital compliance allows businesses to tie food safety to broader metrics like sustainability and food waste reduction. As Edmunds points out, “If you have more robust traceability systems, you can actually button those up a bit and create a competitive advantage as well.”

Safer food, smarter business 

Food safety risks are real, immediate, and growing. Regulatory agencies alone can’t shoulder the burden, especially as resources are pulled back. That leaves F&B businesses with a stark choice: wait for the next crisis, or act now by building systems that create a safer food supply chain for everyone. 

Ultimately, prioritizing proactive, prevention-forward safety strategies isn’t just the ethical choice. It’s also the smart business move. Companies that lead with transparency, trust, and technological innovation stand to thrive in a marketplace where food safety is more scrutinized than ever. And for consumers? It means greater peace of mind with every bite. 

Protect your brand and stay ahead—see how TraceGains Supplier Compliance makes it possible.