Americans' trust in the food safety net is spoiling

Data: Gallup; Chart: Avery Lotz/Axios Americans' confidence in the safety of food on grocery store shelves — and in the federal government's ability to regulate it — has plummeted to new lows according to a new Gallup poll. The big picture: Simultaneous illness outbreaks put federal regulators under a microscope earlier this year, as layoffs across the nation's health apparatus were already causing food safety angst. By the numbers: Less than half of U.S. adults have a great deal (11%) or a fair amount (36%) of confidence in the federal government to ensure food safety, according to the poll, which was conducted last month. On the flip side, a majority have not much or no confidence in the government's ability to police their food — a first in Gallup's trend, which has been intermittent for two decades. Zoom out: Meanwhile, Americans' confidence in the food sold at grocery stores has mirrored that drop, falling to a record low of 65% saying they are somewhat or very confident. That share has plunged from the 81% recorded in 2019. Zoom in: That growing food safety suspicion is driven by Democrats and independents, while Republicans have actually become more confident in grocery store food. The partisan chasm over the federal government's ability to ensure food safety has flipped — and widened — under the second Trump administration. In 2024, half of Republicans had a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the government to ensure food safety, while nearly three-quarters of Democrats agreed. By 2025, Democrats' confidence fell to 48%, and to 30% in 2026. Republicans, meanwhile, found new faith, with their confidence climbing from 62% in 2025 to 70% to 2026. Catch up quick: This year's polling occurred during and after the federal government declared the end of an outbreak of Cyclospora, a parasite that caused stomach illnesses, two deaths and saw more than 500 hospitalizations across 21 states. Federal health officials eventually traced the rapidly spreading surge to iceberg lettuce from supplier Taylor Farms. But the food woes didn't stop there: This summer saw a flurry of overlapping recalls and FDA investigations, while health experts warned administration cuts had weakened the public health infrastructure responsible for detecting outbreaks. Meanwhile, significant shares of Americans report concerns or strain about affording those groceries. The food-at-home CPI, for grocery store or supermarket food purchases, was up 2.2% between August 2025 and 2026. Friction point: That collides with an administration that's pushed whole foods as part of its "Make America Healthy Again" campaign under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But Gallup's polling indicates Republicans have digested that food safety message far better than Democrats and independents. Go deeper: America's next grocery shock is brewing

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