Is Your Food Safe? (US)

Three main departments help keep food – both for humans and pets – safe in the United States: FSIS, FDA, and CDC.

  • Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS):
    FSIS is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It makes sure meat, poultry, and egg products are safe to eat, healthy, and labeled and packaged the right way.
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
    The FDA protects people’s health by making sure most foods are safe, clean, and labeled correctly. (FSIS handles meat, poultry, and some egg products.) The FDA also checks that medicines, vaccines, medical devices, cosmetics, and supplements are safe. It also regulates tobacco and protects people from harmful radiation.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
    The CDC studies and tracks food-related illnesses. It investigates outbreaks and works to stop them from spreading. The CDC also helps state and local health departments improve how they detect and respond to foodborne illnesses.

FoodSafety.gov is a consumer-friendly gateway to the food safety information provided by these government agencies. The Recalls and Outbreaks page has a list of recent recalls, duplicated below:

Food Safety Recalls