Fall in Love With Slow Cookers
Being greeted on a brisk fall evening by the inviting smells of beef stew or chicken noodle soup from a slow cooker can be a dream come true. Plus the direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time, and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.
Read About Slow Cooker Safety
Reducing Salmonella in Poultry
Through Science-Based Action
USDA is mobilizing a stronger and more comprehensive effort to reduce Salmonella illnesses related to poultry products.
Learn About This Collaborative Effort
Safety Through Inspection
PREVENTING FOOD SAFETY HAZARDS THROUGH INSPECTION & COMPLIANCE
The Food Safety and Inspection Service is responsible for ensuring that meat, poultry, Siluriformes, and eggs are safe and are properly labeled and packaged. Learn more about our inspection services and process.
Evidence-Based Policies in Action
Science
Research, Methods & Data
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Policy
Rulemaking & Regulatory Guides
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Food Safety
Handling & Preparation Tips
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Food Safety Facts
6.6
Thousand
establishments that FSIS monitors
7.5
Million
food safety and food defense procedures
185
Thousand
humane handling verification and enforcement activities
Did you know that the 1905 book The Jungle was a driver of the Federal Meat Inspection Act that governs FSIS's activities today?
Upton Sinclair's novel took aim at the poor working conditions in a Chicago meatpacking house. The ensuing public furor moved President Theodore Roosevelt to pass the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), which became law in 1906 and requires federal inspectors in meat-packing houses.
63
total recalls in 2021
16
total public health alerts in 2021
Top 2021 Recall Reasons
48%
Product Contamination
27%
Misbranding
16%
Unreported Allergens
USDA Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Information
Get Answers and Find Resources
President Biden's National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness calls on all parts of the federal government to contribute resources, facilities, personnel, and expertise to contain the pandemic. USDA is responding to that call.
Visit USDA's COVID-19 Info Center
Have a Question or Concern About a Food Product?
Careers
Join the Food Safety and Inspection Service
Consider a job with the Food Safety and Inspection Service. As an employee at one of the largest public health regulatory agencies in the U.S. Government, you can have the satisfaction of doing work that protects the public. Explore the job profiles below to learn more about what we do.
Food Inspector
Inspectors provide the first line of defense against adulterated meat and poultry products.
Consumer Safety Inspector
CSIs ensure a plant is operating within its written plans for HACCP, sanitation, and processing.
Public Health Veterinarian
PHVs help oversee the effectiveness of farm-to-table food safety systems.
Scientific Positions
FSIS scientists protect the public by providing microbiological, pathological, chemical and other scientific analyses of meat, poultry, and egg products.
Administrative
FSIS Administrative Positions include roles ranging from human resources to purchasing.
Professional Positions
FSIS Professional Positions include roles ranging from data analysts to financial managers.
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