General and Scientific Information

• Questions & Answers About Dioxins and Food Safety (Feb 2012), Interagency Working Group on Dioxin
• Dioxins and PCBs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Environmental Assessment: Dioxin, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Dioxin Exposure Initiative Publications, EPA
• Dioxins, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

FSIS Dioxin Monitoring Surveys

USDA, with its government partners FDA and EPA, conducts periodic monitoring surveys for dioxins in meat and poultry.

• DIOXIN 08 SURVEY: Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds In the U.S. Domestic Meat and Poultry Supply (Oct 2009; PDF Only)
• Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds In the U.S. Domestic Meat and Poultry Supply (Jun 2005; PDF Only)

Dietary Estimates of Dioxins Consumed in USDA Regulated Meat and Poultry Products

In February 2012, EPA established a chronic oral reference dose (RfD) for noncancer effects for  2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which is used as a reference dioxin.   In a study published in September 2013, FSIS estimated dietary exposures of its regulated products for comparison to the RfD.

• Dietary Estimates of Dioxins Consumed in U.S. Department of Agriculture–Regulated Meat and Poultry Products. Kerry L. Dearfield, Sarah R. Edwards, Margaret M. O’Keefe, Naser M. Abdelmajid, Ashley J. Blanchard, David D. Labarre, and Patty A. Bennett (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service). Journal of Food Protection, Vol. 76, No. 9, 2013, Pages 1597–1607. (Subscription required)
• Dietary Estimate Tables (Supplemental) to accompany the journal article
  • Beef (PDF)
  • Pork, Chicken, Turkey (PDF)

Dioxin in Livestock, Poultry, and Eggs: Guidance Documents, 1997-1998

These resources are provided for historical purposes. These items are no longer being updated. Links and contact information may be out of date.

• Memorandum from Mark Mina to Plant Managers (Jan 8, 1998)
• Memorandum from Mark Mina to Owners and Custodians of Poultry, Livestock and Eggs (Sep 17, 1997)
• Guidance for Reprocessing of Broilers Exposed to Dioxin-Contaminated Feed (Jul 13, 1997)
• Memorandum from Mark Mina to Industry Groups (Jul 10, 1997)
• Memorandum from Mark Mina to District Managers (Jul 9, 1997)
• Advisory to Owners and Custodians of Poultry, Livestock and Eggs (Jul 8, 1997)