The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), an agency of the
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...
(USDA), is the public health regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
' commercial supply of
meat
Meat is animal Tissue (biology), tissue, often muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of vertebrates, including chickens, sheep, ...
,
poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...
, and
egg
An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the ...
products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. The FSIS draws its authority from the
Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906, the
Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1957 and the
Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970.
Food products under the jurisdiction of the FSIS, and thus subject to inspection, are those that contain more than 3% meat or 2% poultry products, with several exceptions, and egg products (liquid, frozen or dried).
Shell eggs, meat and poultry products not under the jurisdiction of the FSIS are under the jurisdiction of the United States
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...
(FDA). The FSIS is led by the
under secretary of agriculture for food safety.
Overview
More than 7,800 FSIS inspection program personnel are assigned to about 6,200 federal slaughter,
food processing
Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food, or of one form of food into other forms. Food processing takes many forms, from grinding grain into raw flour, home cooking, and complex industrial methods used in the mak ...
, and import establishments in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. They verify the processing of tens of billions of pounds of meat and poultry, and billions of pounds of egg products. At slaughter establishments, inspectors perform antemortem inspections to prevent slaughter of diseased animals. Then,
postmortem examinations are performed to identify diseased carcasses not evident
antemortem. Regulations for rapid chilling, adequate trimming, and sanitary washing are enforced to reduce microbial contamination. Samples are collected for residue testing to ensure antibiotic, pesticide and other residues are below regulatory limits. For cattle, tissue samples are tested for the presence of
bovine spongiform encephalopathy. In processing plants, procedures and formulations are monitored to ensure that FSIS requirements and standards of identity are met. Inspectors in egg plants primarily monitor pasteurization. In all plants, sanitation, net weight, and accurate labeling (including nutrition information) regulations are enforced. FSIS also is responsible for products presented for import inspection at ports and borders, from countries that FSIS has determined to have inspection systems equivalent to Federal inspection systems.
Everyone in the food chain, from farmer through consumer, has a responsibility in keeping the food supply safe. Meat, poultry, and processed egg products can be contaminated with bacteria at any point during production, distribution, and consumption. FDA works closely with other federal agencies that have some role in the regulation of meat, poultry, and processed egg products along the
farm-to-table continuum.
FSIS is a large, independent agency that functions separately from the FDA and participates in business oversight. FSIS is under the direction of the Department of Agriculture while the FDA is under the direction of the
Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the US federal government created to protect the health of the US people and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...
. The two agencies share responsibilities on various topics concerning food safety, but have different methods of enforcement and supervision of food producers. For example, both FSIS and the FDA have the authority to regulate food labeling. In March 2014, FSIS implemented a new regulatory requirement for labeling; 9 CFR Part 412. At times, FSIS requires a food producer to obtain pre-market approval of their intended label before the product is entered into the stream of commerce (for products under their jurisdiction. If product is covered by a standard of identity and meets the established standard, then pre-market approval is not necessary. The FDA does not require that a food producer, in their jurisdiction, obtain pre-market approval of their label. FSIS takes a preemptive role in food labeling where the FDA takes a reactive role in food labeling. The FSIS also has authority in inspection and monitoring of food-related establishments, while the FDA has no jurisdiction regarding restaurants and food businesses.
FSIS derives its authority from the
Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906, the
Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1957, and the Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970. FSIS inspects meat and poultry products to ensure that there is no misbranded or adulterated products being put into the stream of commerce.
FSIS accepts written requests to amend, issue, or repeal regulations that it administers.
Recalls
Recalls are voluntary actions by manufacturers, distributors or importers to protect the public by removing from commerce products that are adulterated or misbranded. The majority of recalls in recent years have been due to undeclared allergens on product labels.
As soon as FSIS learns that a meat or poultry product under its jurisdiction may be unsafe or mislabeled is in commerce, the agency forms a team to determine whether a recall is needed. The Recall Committee is composed of FSIS representatives from various areas of expertise. The committee evaluates all the information available and makes a recommendation to the establishment whose product is in question, including the parameters of the recall.
After a recall is issued, FSIS conducts effectiveness checks to ensure that the company’s customers (or consignees) have received notice of the recall and are making every effort to retrieve and destroy the recalled product or return it to the recalling firm. FSIS personnel verify that the recalling firm has been diligent and successful in notifying and advising their consignees of the need to retrieve and control recalled product, and that the consignees have responded accordingly. FSIS has formal agreements with many state governments that allow those states to participate in effectiveness checks, thus improving the speed and effectiveness of recalls.
When a product is recalled, FSIS issues a recall release to the media in the affected area, sends it to public health partners and stakeholders and posts it on the FSIS Web site.
In certain situations where a recall is not warranted, but there is still a risk to public health, FSIS may issue a public health alert. PHAs have been issued when a product was not considered adulterated, but illnesses were involved; when illnesses were associated with a meat or poultry product, but a source of contamination was not identified; or a product is no longer available in commerce, but may be held or in use by consumers.
The FSIS also acts as an investigation organization involved in food-related businesses if suspicions regarding consumer safety or criminal abuse arise. During an investigation, the FSIS will dispatch an investigator that will attempt to detect any criminal or violations regarding the USDA regulations. If evidence of consumer abuse or infractions regarding the USDA health regulations, the FSIS will close the business until the establishment has restored itself to the acceptable level for any USDA approved business. If major criminal activity or heavy violation of the USDA regulations is found, the FSIS has the authority to shut down the business to protect consumer safety and public health. In extreme cases, where egregious acts of disregard for the regulatory requirements has been extensively identified and documented, establishment owners and operators have been tried, convicted and jailed for their actions or lack thereof.
History
The FSIS's parent organization, the U.S. Department of Agriculture was founded in 1862 by President
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
.
Harvey W. Wiley, M.D, who was appointed to the position of chief chemist at the USDA in 1883 devoted his career to the struggle against foodborne illnesses, by among other things campaigning for the
Pure Food and Drug Act
The s:Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, also known as the Wiley Act and Harvey Washington Wiley, Dr. Wiley's Law, was the first of a series of significant consumer protection laws enacted by the United States Con ...
. It would however take effect until 1905, the technologically enabled rapid growth of the
meat industry
The meat industry are the people and companies engaged in modern industrialized livestock agriculture for the production, packing, preservation and marketing of meat (in contrast to dairy products, wool, etc.). In economics, the meat industry is ...
and the publication of
The Jungle
''The Jungle'' is a novel by American author and muckraking-journalist Upton Sinclair, known for his efforts to expose corruption in government and business in the early 20th century.
In 1904, Sinclair spent seven weeks gathering information ...
, which detailed the meat industry and its working conditions, for the act to pass. The Pure Food and Drug Act’s main purpose lay in the banning of foreign and interstate traffic of adulterated and mislabelled food and its direction of the U.S. Bureau of Chemistry to inspect food products and refer offenders to the prosecution. It also constituted a major step towards the creation of the Food and Drug Administration. The
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), which prohibited the sale of adulterated or misbranded meat and meat products and laid out that the slaughter of animals with the purpose of meat produce had to take place under certain sanitary conditions, was passed on the same day.
The USDA's Bureau of Chemistry and its Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) were assigned the tasks of enforcing the Pure Food and Drug Act and the FMIA, respectively. This meant that the BAI performed meat inspection services. The USDA’s Bureau of Chemistry, would later be reorganized and renamed
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...
(FDA), which now belongs to the Department of Health and Human Services.
In the post-World War 2 period, the invention and commercialization of the refrigerator led to a modernization of the meat industry.
The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 expanded the scope of USDA-inspections by allowing for the inspections of exotic and game animals as well as the inspection and certification of agricultural products.
As the consumer demands for poultry products grew in the post-World War 2 period, the
Poultry Products Inspection Act was passed, ensuring, just like the FMIA did for meat products, that poultry products shipped in interstate commerce would be continuously inspected.
Subsequent to continuous amendments to the existing regulations in the 1950s and 1960s, which tried to deal with concerns about the rising complexity in meat production, chemical contaminations and animal welfare, federal meat and poultry inspections were merged into one program.
With the passing of the Egg Products Inspections Act of 1970, the inspections of eggs and egg products was added to the USDA’s responsibilities. Today the FSIS is responsible for the inspection of pasteurized liquid, frozen, or dried egg products, while the FDA undertakes to ensure shell egg safety.
Following the reorganization of the USDA’s agricultural research service, the Food Safety and Quality Service was created in 1977 to assume responsibility of meat and poultry grading as well as inspections. Only four years later it was reorganized and renamed to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) under which the agency is still known today.
The FSIS would undergo a major chance in philosophy, following a major outbreak of E. coli in 1993: It changed from relying largely on organoleptic (sight, touch & smell) controls to a more scientific approach with a focus on the prevention and reduction of microbial pathogens on raw products that can cause illness. Underlining this decision, the FHIS issued the
Hazard analysis and critical control points
Hazard analysis and critical control points, or HACCP (), is a systematic preventive approach to food safety from biological hazard, biological, chemical hazard, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes that can cause the finished ...
(HACCP) rule, which details a systematic approach to food safety from biological, chemical and physical hazards. It also illustrates the role of public and private sector with regards to food safety: While the industry is accountable for producing safe food, the government is responsible for setting appropriate food safety standards, maintaining vigorous inspection oversight, and maintaining a strong regulatory enforcement program to deal with noncompliance.
In more recent times, the FSIS built on the foundation of HACCP by intensifying efforts to combat food-borne pathogens, by for example testing for
Listeria monocytogenes tightening the restriction combating
Salmonella
''Salmonella'' is a genus of bacillus (shape), rod-shaped, (bacillus) Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The two known species of ''Salmonella'' are ''Salmonella enterica'' and ''Salmonella bongori''. ''S. enterica'' ...
.
During the
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 145 field employees tested positive for COVID-19, and three died.
One of the three FSIS inspectors based in New York City visited plants while potentially infected, and later died.
This was despite the
FDA postponing most foreign facility inspections and all domestic routine surveillance facility inspections on March 18.
See also
*
Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations
A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...
*
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...
(FDA)
*
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the National public health institutes, national public health agency of the United States. It is a Federal agencies of the United States, United States federal agency under the United S ...
(CDC)
*
Continuous inspection
*
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
*
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) based in Riverdale Park, Maryland, Riverdale, Maryland responsible for protecting animal health, animal welfare, and plant h ...
(APHIS)
*
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)
*
Food and Nutrition Service
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The FNS is the federal agency responsible for administering the nation’s domestic nutrition assistance programs. The service helps to add ...
(FNS)
*
National Agricultural Library
The United States National Agricultural Library (NAL) is one of the world's largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a national library of the United States and as the library of the United States Department of Agriculture. Locate ...
(NAL)
References
External links
Food Safety Inspection ServiceFood Safety and Inspection Servicein the
Federal Register
The ''Federal Register'' (FR or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the government gazette, official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices. It is published every wee ...
{{authority control
Meat processing in the United States
United States Department of Agriculture agencies
Food safety organizations
Organizations established in 1977
Food safety in the United States
Regulatory authorities of the United States
Meat inspection
Veterinary medicine in the United States