The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is delaying implementation of new food traceability rules by 30 months, to give companies more time to bring their supply chains into compliance, it announced March 20.

The rules were first proposed during President Donald Trump's first term, requiring improved record-keeping and visibility across food supply chains, allowing companies to identify and remove contaminated products from circulation before they make it to restaurants or grocery shelves. Although the rules were initially scheduled to take effect on January 20, 2026, even the few entities the FDA said were "well-positioned" to meet the requirements had expressed doubts over their ability to coordinate with their supply chain partners in time for the deadline.

"The FDA remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, as they will allow for faster identification and removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and deaths," said the March 20 announcement.

According to a report from public health nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), deaths from contaminated foods doubled in 2024, while food recalls from salmonella, listeria and E. coli rose by more than 40%. That included an E. coli outbreak in October that was traced back to raw slivered onions in McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers, and listeria found in Boar's Head sliced deli meat in July, which came from a factory where inspectors had flagged 69 instances of noncompliance in the year leading up to the outbreak. In total, PIRG estimated that there were nearly 1,400 people who were sickened by contaminated food in 2024, up from 1,118 the previous year.