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Jim Jones, the head of the food division at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has resigned on Monday 17 February.

He cited widespread cuts across the agency, saying they would make it difficult to carry out the changes the Trump administration wants, according to a document seen by Bloomberg News.

Jones, who joined the FDA in September 2023 and oversaw the ban on food dye Red No. 3 earlier this year, explained in his resignation letter that the widespread layoffs and the administration's disregard for the staff required to drive change made his continued role untenable.

In his letter to acting FDA commissioner Sara Brenner, Jones expressed his disappointment, saying he had hoped to work on improving public health by tackling diet-related chronic diseases and chemical risks in food. However, he noted that the new administration's attitude towards the staff made it “fruitless” to continue in his position.

The resignation follows the recent dismissal of 89 staff members within the FDA’s food division, a decision Jones described as “indiscriminate”. These layoffs included experts in nutrition, infant formula and food safety, with some specifically responsible for reviewing potentially harmful ingredients in food.

In response, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that some "bureaucrats" are resistant to the "mandate delivered by the American people" and emphasised that president Donald Trump only seeks "the best and most qualified people who are also willing to implement his America First Agenda on behalf of the American people," she said in an email. “It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay.”

FoodBev has contacted FDA for a comment.