Partnership for Food Safety Education

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6 Food Safety Trends We Predict for 2026

Picture of Britanny Saunier

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/

National Food Safety Month Reminds Us All of Our Collective Power

Picture of Britanny Saunier

Britanny Saunier

Executive Director, Partnership for Food Safety Education

Food poisoning risk is real as home cooking rises

September is National Food Safety Month, a pivotal moment to reaffirm our collective commitment to preventing food poisoning. Together with more than 13,000 health and food safety educators, over 40 industry and association partners, and government agency partners, we can reduce risk, protect communities, and strengthen confidence in the food supply.

The stakes are clear. 41% of shoppers plan to make meals at home this fall, reflecting convenience, cost savings, and a renewed focus on health (FMI, 2025). All the while, the CDC estimates 48 million people will experience foodborne illness this year.

 A stark reminder that risk remains real as home cooking rises.

At the same time, consumer confidence in food safety is slipping. Only 55% of Americans say they are confident in the U.S. food supply, down from 62% in 2024 and 70% in 2023 (IFIC). People want more transparency about what government and industry are doing to keep food safe (IFIC, 2025).

This is our collective opportunity to lead and to make visible the important work we are doing to support illness prevention. By uniting industry, government, and professional health and food safety educators, we can:

  • Invest in public education campaigns proven to raise awareness.
  • Support ongoing training for professionals working directly with communities.
  • Transform food safety messages to be reflective of how people cook today and receive information – quickly, on a budget, and with appliances like air fryer

 

National Food Safety Month reminds us all of our role in preventing illness. Let’s carry that leadership forward every day, driving lasting change in consumer food safety practices.

Sources: 

CDC (2024). About Food Safety.
https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/about/index.html#:~:text=Overview,are%20hospitalized%2C%20and%203%2C000%20die.

FMI-The Food Industry Association (August 2025). U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends.
https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends

IFIC (2025). Food and Health Survey.
https://ific.org/research/2025-ific-food-health-survey/

 

Don’t Scramble: Here’s the Egg Info You Need

Eggs are a big part of many spring celebrations and activities. Kids love to decorate and dye them, hide them, and cook them with their families in festive foods.

The spring holidays are the egg industry’s biggest annual sales events. However, this year the egg supply is limited due to high path avian influenza (HPAI), also known as “bird flu.” Egg prices have reached record highs in recent months as bird flu outbreaks have hit poultry farms and forced producers to cull tens of millions of hens.

While pricing and supply may pose problems for many families this spring, the likelihood that eggs from infected poultry are found in the retail market is low. Proper storage and preparation further reduce the risk. Whether you source your eggs from a local grocery store, farmers market or a neighbor with a home flock, there is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted to humans through properly preparing eggs. (Source: FDA)

The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) provides information on safe egg handling to ensure families can observe spring celebrations and prevent foodborne illness from coming as an unwanted guest:


These eggs-pert food safety tips will help keep kids and families safe this spring season!

The Partnership spoke with a few of its collaborative partners who work directly in the chicken and egg industry to get clarity on the current crisis and when consumers might see relief at the grocery store checkout.

Rafael Rivera, Ph.D., director of food safety and production programs with USPoultry, who works with egg production suppliers, provided some perspective to the current production difficulties.

“The complications stem from this round of infections being so intense. New infections are starting to die down, so new pullets are being able to be placed, and it is helping increase the supply and will reduce egg prices,” said Dr. Rivera. “The industry and government agencies are pooling their resources to stamp out the disease as quickly as possible. This action, along with strong biosecurity practices, is the best tool to control the disease. The available eggs are safe to eat when following proper handling instructions.”

According to the New York Times, new data reported on April 10 showed that egg prices at the grocery store continued to climb in March, rising 5.9% over the previous month and 60.4% over March 2024 prices.

Experts with the National Chicken Council (NCC) shared how HPAI affects the market for chicken products. NCC advises consumers that HPAI affects 92% of laying hen flocks. Only 8% of chicken farms that are affected produce broiler chickens for meat, and those flocks are culled and not moved to the market.

The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods (NFRA) spoke about the HPAI egg crisis from the farm and production side during their recent podcast “Eggs: An Update on Consumer Demand & Retailer Strategies.” NFRA discussed the current egg landscape, the impact of the evolving avian flu, and what the recovery outlook entails, as well as the resources available to retailers about consumer demand and egg promotion.

While egg shortages may change how we celebrate, they don’t have to take the joy out of spring. With a little creativity and flexibility, your traditions can still bloom!

Shop Smart, Save Smart: Balancing Food Safety & Budgeting

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year, an estimated 1 in 6 people in the United States (or 48 million people) get sick from eating contaminated food.

Currently, shoppers are looking for ways to cut grocery expenses. While finding ways to save money, it’s important to keep food safety in mind when searching for deals.

Maintain food safety standards — even on a budget — with these helpful tips:

Buy your food in bulk.

  • Wrap the bulk tray of meat or poultry in a plastic bag provided at the meat counter to avoid contaminating the contents of your shopping cart with germs.
  • When freezing bulk meat or poultry, write down or take a photo of the original package label. This step will help you identify whether the frozen items are part of a later recall.
  • Use the FoodKeeper App which contains food safety and storage advice to help shoppers maintain freshness and quality of foods.


Keep your food safe while shopping for groceries.

  • Before you shop, grab a disinfectant wipe and clean the cart handle. Also, wipe away germs from the child’s seat.
  • If you use reusable bags, wash them frequently in the washing machine or by hand with hot, soapy water. Store them in a clean, dry location.
  • Use plastic bags provided at the meat counter and fresh produce section to help avoid cross-contamination. Cover your hand with a plastic grocery bag when picking raw meat and produce at the grocery store.
  • Separate meats, poultry, and fish from ready-to-eat foods, using a different bag for each item category to avoid cross-contamination of harmful germs.


Select and prepare produce safely.

  • If you purchase canned fruits and vegetables, store the cans in a cool and dry place. If canned food is bulging, leaking, or has deep dents, it’s best to discard it. These signs can indicate spoilage or the presence of harmful bacteria, potentially leading to food poisoning.
  • Keep fresh fruits and vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs in your refrigerator.
  • Gently rub fresh produce under cold running water. Scrub firm produce with a clean vegetable brush under running water. Dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
  • Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.


Properly store food in the refrigerator and freezer.

  • Use an appliance thermometer to be sure your refrigerator temperature is consistently 40 °F or below. The freezer temperature should be 0 °F or below.
  • Do not overstuff your refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe.
  • Store meat and poultry in a plastic bag on a low shelf in the fridge to keep liquids from leaking and contaminating other foods. Also, store raw eggs on a low shelf.
  • Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods and leftovers within two hours of purchase or use. If the weather temperature is 90 ˚F or above, cut this time down to one hour.
  • Freezing food can help it last longer. Check out these tips for handling frozen foods safely.
  • Leftovers stored in the refrigerator should be eaten within 3 to 4 days. Heat leftovers to 165 °F before eating them.


Follow this advice to help you maintain food safety while trying to save money!

Meet PFSE Board Member Dr. Barb Masters

Our board members bring a wealth of experiences and expertise to the Partnership, united by their passion for our mission. It’s our pleasure to introduce them to you.

Dr. Barb Masters, Vice Chair 
Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Food & Agriculture
Tyson Foods, Inc.
Connect: LinkedIn

Get to know more PFSE board members.