Dive Brief:
- The FDA has appointed Donald Prater as the acting deputy commissioner of the department’s Human Foods Program, which oversees 80% of the U.S. food supply.
- Prater, a seasoned FDA policy expert with over 26 years of experience, previously served as the principal deputy associate commissioner of the Human Foods Program.
- He takes over from Kyle Diamantas, who has been appointed to lead the entire agency after the resignation of Marty Makary.
Dive Insight:
Prater’s appointment comes at a crucial time as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. pushes for reforms to improve the food supply, including efforts to revamp ingredient evaluation processes and reduce the use of artificial dyes.
Prior to his new role, Prater played a key role in the restructuring of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Acting Nutrition into the Human Foods Program in 2024. He also led the department’s imported food safety programs and served as the director of the FDA’s Europe Office.
Diamantas’ promotion to lead the FDA could signal a greater focus on food-related issues within the agency. According to reports, this is only the second time in history that someone overseeing the FDA’s food office has been appointed to lead the entire department.