CHICAGO – Food manufacturers face an uncertain regulatory future as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) rules on ultra-processed foods (UPF), artificial colors and more.
At Pack Expo 2026, held October 18-21 in Chicago, McCormick & Co. Marsha Forman, senior regulatory affairs manager, shared how the Hunt Valley, Md.-based company is navigating this uncertainty and how other manufacturers can position themselves for these regulations.
Asked about his favorite potential changes, Forman mentioned two: the FDA’s upcoming definition of UPF, and the agency’s proposed rule change to the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) process.
Describing the definition of UPF as a potential “transformation,” Forman said McCormick & Co., paying attention to California, which has passed its own definition. He likened California’s leadership of the UPF to pioneering the definition of “organic” decades ago.
“Organic started in California, then it became a national thing,” he said. “So could California (the UPF definition) evolve into a national UPF definition as well?”
Regarding GRAS, the FDA has proposed a rule that would change the process from voluntary with a self-asserted choice to mandatory. Forman said the rules apply not only to food ingredients but also to packaging.
“(You have to) make sure that the additive has a proper review, that the packaging has a proper review,” he said. “There is no such thing as a mandatory process right now.”
When the federal pressure to phase out artificial colors is strong, Forman noted that only one – Red No. 3 – has been officially banned. However, with the FDA’s goal of removing all FD&C colors by the end of 2027, McCormick & Co.
“We’ve been at the forefront of finding natural solutions for some of our customers,” Forman said. “The FDA has said it will expedite looking at natural color solutions — we’re monitoring the petition so we’re ready to bring it to our customers.”
Regarding the FDA’s proposed front-label labeling rule — which would require most packaged foods to display a “Nutrition info box” that highlights saturated fat, sodium and added sugars — Forman noted the timeline remains up in the air with the decision likely to be delayed significantly.
“But at the same time, we have looked at the proposed rules and the portfolio to understand the impact,” he said. “We’ve been supporting customers who may want to reduce sodium or sugar, so when the rules come in, once they’re done, they’ll be ready.”
As food companies prepare for the regulations, Forman said departments should work together to determine what ingredients to use and what labels they want.
“Anytime you’re working with a label, you want to have a lot of people in the room,” he says. “You want to have regulation. You want graphics, project managers, marketing, packaging engineers and people who approve things like certification. There are many players, and it is very important that everyone has clear responsibility and ownership for what they approve, so that nothing is missed.”