USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service

Assuring the safety and security of the food supply is a vital part of FSIS' public health mission. FSIS has more than 7,600 inspectors and veterinarians working in plants with meat, poultry, and egg products and at ports-of-entry every day to prevent, detect, and respond to food safety issues. FSIS also has more than 100 employees across the United States who monitor meat, poultry, and egg products at import facilities, including docks, loading areas, and refrigeration and storage areas. They also monitor the movement of product through distribution channels.

FSIS continues to look for ways to improve food safety. This includes devising the best methods for tracking cases of foodborne illness and identifying outbreaks more quickly. The Agency also aims to make sure that plans for reducing the risks of foodborne illness are based on the best available science and technology, and adjusting the FSIS workforce to support the increasingly science based and public health-oriented system.

The inspection system implemented in all federally inspected and State-inspected meat and poultry plants nationwide is designed to prevent entry of contaminated product into the food supply, whether the contamination is naturally occurring or intentional. FSIS inspectors and veterinarians routinely look for anything out of the ordinary.

FSIS and USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) coordinate activities to detect animal diseases that could affect human health and prevent any activities that could cripple agricultural production and damage the U.S. economy. Together with the resources of other government agencies at the Federal, State, and local levels, FSIS has an extensive and highly effective system to protect American consumers.

A "one-stop" food safety resource for consumers is available at www.foodsafety.gov. This government Web site serves as a gateway to food safety information for consumers. It contains news and safety alerts, advice for consumers, and a list of food safety agencies and how to contact them.

Read Food Safety and Security: What Consumers Need to Know Online

For nearly a century, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been protecting the Nation's food supply. This long history has allowed USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to develop the expertise and systems to protect our Nation's supply of meat, poultry, and egg products against intentional and unintentional contamination.

With a solid food safety infrastructure in place, FSIS has also been able to focus on strengthening existing programs and improving lines of communication, both internally and externally. Through cooperation with industry, consumers, and other government agencies, FSIS has an extensive system in place that can properly respond to a food security emergency.

Download Food Safety and Security: What Consumers Need to Know

PDF format, 419KB, 16Pages.

United States Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service

Table of Contents
PAGE 4 USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
PAGE 5 What Consumers Need to Know… Handling Food Safely
PAGE 8 What Consumers Need to Know… Product Recalls
PAGE 9 What Consumers Need to Know… Keeping Food Safe During Emergencies
PAGE 9 How Can You Keep Food Safe During a Power Failure?
PAGE 10 What Food and Water Should You Keep in Your Home?
PAGE 11 How Long Should Canned Foods Be Kept?
PAGE 12 What Consumers Need to Know… Keeping the Food Supply Secure
PAGE 13 What Consumers Need to Know … Risks of Intentional Contamination
PAGE 14 What Consumers Need to Know… Reporting Possible Food Tampering
PAGE 15 Additional Information

Additional Information
For more information about food safety, visit the World Wide Web at the following sites:

Food Safety and Inspection Service
www.fsis.usda.gov

Gateway to Government Food Safety Information
www.foodsafety.gov

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
www.usda.gov

Biosecurity Information
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Defense_&_Emergency_Response/index.asp

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
www.aphis.usda.gov

United States Department of Homeland Security
www.dhs.gov

Information on How to Prepare for an Emergency
www.ready.gov

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bioterrorism.html

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
www.fema.gov

Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)
www.agctr.lsu.edu/eden/

National Agricultural Library (NAL)
foodsafety.nal.usda.gov/

American Red Cross
www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/food.html

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