Britanny Saunier
Executive Director, Partnership for Food Safety Education
6 Food Safety Trends We Predict for 2026
As we enter 2026 and look ahead, food safety continues to be at the intersection of public health, consumer behavior, and trust. The way people shop, cook, and seek information is evolving rapidly, and with it, the expectations placed on food safety educators, regulators, and industry partners.
Here are six food safety trends we believe will shape the year ahead, and how the food safety community can respond to strengthen the entire food system.
1. More Meals Prepared at Home
2. Convenience is King
3. Air Fryers Are a Staple Appliance
4. Increased Collaboration and Resource Sharing
5. AI Summaries Change How People Get Information
6. A Strong Focus on Health and Nutrition
1. More Meals Prepared at Home
Consumers are spending more time eating at home and preparing their own meals. Whether driven by cost consciousness, health goals, or lifestyle flexibility, the home kitchen has become a primary food preparation space.
Why it matters for food safety:
With more home cooking comes greater responsibility for consumers to handle food safely. They need guidance they can trust to practice food safety.
2. Convenience is King
While people may be cooking more at home, they are not looking to spend more time doing it. Convenience remains a dominant driver of shopping and meal decisions.
Why it matters for food safety:
Consumer understanding is critical to ensuring these products remain safe from purchase to plate so people can stay healthy and illness-free.
3. Air Fryers Are a Staple Appliance
Air fryers have moved beyond trend status and are now a permanent fixture in many kitchens.
Why it matters for food safety:
Air fryers cook differently from traditional ovens or stovetops and not one air fryer is the same. Consumers may assume foods are fully cooked based on appearance rather than internal temperature, increasing the risk of undercooking of food.
4. Increased Collaboration and Resource Sharing
State and local budget shifts are changing how food safety education is delivered. Many organizations are being asked to do more with fewer resources, making collaboration essential.
Why it matters for food safety education:
Ready-to-go, adaptable content allows professional health and food safety educators to maintain reach and consistency even when staffing or funding is limited.
5. AI Summaries Change How People Get Information
The way consumers search for and consume information is undergoing a fundamental shift. AI-generated summaries, voice assistants, and conversational search tools are increasingly replacing traditional web searches.
Why it matters for food safety:
People are often receiving condensed answers rather than full articles, which raises the stakes for accuracy, clarity, and consistency. Food safety guidance must be concise, plain-language, and structured in ways that AI tools can easily interpret and share correctly.
6. A Strong Focus on Health and Nutrition
Food safety does not exist in isolation from nutrition. If your food is not prepared safely, you may not realize the nutritional benefits. Shoppers are paying closer attention to health claims, while nutrition professionals play an increasingly visible role in supporting people’s health.
Why it matters for food safety:
As nutrition conversations expand, food safety must remain part of the dialogue. Nutrition experts need to be empowered with safe food handling information that complements nutritional goals, protects vulnerable populations, reduces foodborne illness risk, and ensures that healthy foods remain safe to consume.
The Role the Food Safety Community Can Play
These trends point to a clear mandate: meet consumers where they are, share information in ways they trust, and work together to extend our collective impact.
This moment is an opportunity to modernize our approach, strengthen partnerships, and ensure food safety remains relevant, visible, and effective in a rapidly changing world.
By bringing together educators, government, and industry, we align food safety messages and create a shared platform for collaboration that strengthens the entire food system.
Sources:
1. FMI-The Food Industry Association (FMI). August 2025: U.S. Shopper Trends. Accessed: https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends
2. FoodDive.May 2024. Surging air fryer popularity leads Nestlé, other CPG giants to rethink food. Accessed: https://www.fooddive.com/news/air-fryer-nestle-conagra-perdue-Gen-z-kitchen/708934/
3. National Association of Counties. July 2025. The Big Shift: An Analysis of the Local Cost of Federal Cuts. Accessed: https://www.naco.org/resource/big-shift-analysis-local-cost-federal-cuts
4. PEW Research Center. August 2025. Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results. Accessed: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/07/22/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results/