Food Safety Inspection

Service Fact Sheet

Overview & Mission:

The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), a public health agency within the USDA,
works to safeguard the U.S. meat, poultry, and egg supply and to protect Americans
– and global consumers of American agricultural products – from foodborne illnesses,
chemical residues, foreign materials, food allergens, and product mislabeling.

Functions:
 Conducts food safety inspections at over 6,000 establishments
 Creates & enforces compliance with packaging, labeling, & food
safety policies
▪ Implements HACCP Plans at facilities
 Inspects imported meat, poultry, and egg products
 Ensures humane animal treatment
 Conducts scientific research The CDC estimates that
 Enhances public awareness foodborne pathogens
 Collaborates with other agencies are responsible for
▪ FDA illness in 48 million
▪ CDC Americans, 3,000
▪ EPA deaths, and $6.9
million in consumer
costs per year
Common foodborne pathogens:
 E. coli - found mostly in fruit, nuts, and beef
 Salmonella - found fruit, nuts, eggs, poultry, & vine stalk vegetables
 Listeria - found mostly in poultry
 Campylobacter - found mostly in dairy

 Operates in all U.S. states and territories

 Annually inspects 6,000 U.S. establishments
 Inspects >3 billion lbs. imported meat, poultry, &
eggs annually
 Conducts 190,000 scientific analyses annually

FSIS works to prevent foodborne illness and to protect public health by safeguarding meat, poultry, and eggs.
For more info: www.fsis.usda.gov
February 6, 2017 Amanda J. Tome, BS-NDTR
NTD 625, West Chester University
 Food Safety Inspection
Service Fact Sheet

Workforce:
 Operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam,
American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
 Employs a wide range of professionals, including inspectors, scientists,
mathematicians, data analysts, & veterinarians
 Work falls within the scope of several offices:
▪ Office of Field Operations
▪ Office of Public Health Science
▪ Office of Policy and Program Development
▪ Office of Data Integration and Food Protection
▪ Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit
▪ Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education

Join the Fight

“The public health community is more powerful when it speaks with a single voice
and shares resources in service of a common mission.” - FSIS

References:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Estimates of Foodborne Illness in the United States.
Retrieved February 5, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html
Food Safety and Inspection Service. (2014). Protecting public health and preventing foodborne illness.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved February 1, 2017 from
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/informational/aboutfsis

FSIS works to prevent foodborne illness and to protect public health by safeguarding meat, poultry, and eggs.
For more info: www.fsis.usda.gov
HEHEN members optimize the nation’s health by promoting
access6,to
February nutritious food and clean water from a secure and
2017 Amanda J. Tome, BS-NDTR
sustainable food system. NTD 625, West Chester University
N members optimize the nation’s health by promoting access
to nutritious food and clean water from a secure and
sustainable food system.