Skip navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Food Safety
    • Recalls & Public Health Alerts
      • Report a Problem with Food
        • Additional Recalls
      • Annual Recall Summaries
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2012
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2013
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2014
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2015
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2016
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2017
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2018
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2019
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2020
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2021
        • Summary of Recall and PHA Cases in Calendar Year 2022
    • Food Safety Stats
      • Consumer Research
    • Foodborne Illness and Disease
      • Illnesses and Pathogens
        • Campylobacter
          • Campylobacter En Español
        • Clostridium botulinum
        • Escherichia coli O157:H7
        • Parasites and Foodborne Illness
        • Salmonella Questions and Answers
      • Resources for Public Health Partners
        • State Departments of Public Health
      • Outbreaks
        • Outbreak Investigations: Prevention
        • Outbreak Investigations: Response
    • Safe Food Handling and Preparation
      • Food Safety Basics
        • Additives in Meat and Poultry Products
        • Appliance Thermometers
        • Asar a la parrilla y seguridad alimentaria
        • Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness
        • Cooking for Groups
        • Cooking with Microwave Ovens
        • Cutting Boards
        • Deep Fat Frying
        • Doneness Versus Safety
        • Food Allergies
        • Glossary of Packaging Terms
        • Grilling Food Safely
        • Grilling and Food Safety
        • High Altitude Cooking
        • How Temperatures Affect Food
        • How to Find the USDA Establishment Number
        • Importing Meat, Poultry & Egg Products US
        • Inspection for Food Safety: The Basics
        • Irradiation and Food Safety FAQ
        • Keeping "Bag" Lunches Safe
        • Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
        • Kitchen Thermometers
        • Mail Order Food Safety
        • Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
        • Meat and Poultry Packaging Materials
        • Natural Flavors on Meat and Poultry Labels
        • Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods
        • Slaughter Inspection 101
        • Slow Cookers and Food Safety
        • Smoking Meat and Poultry
        • Tailgating Food Safety Q & A
        • Understanding FSIS Food Recalls
        • Water in Meat & Poultry
        • Danger Zone 40F - 140F
        • Food Product Dating
        • Freezing and Food Safety
        • Leftovers and Food Safety
        • Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?
          • Hongos en los Alimentos: ¿Son Peligrosos?
        • Refrigeration
        • Safe Temperature Chart
        • Shelf-Stable Food
        • Steps to Keep Food Safe
        • The Big Thaw — Safe Defrosting Methods
        • The Color of Meat and Poultry
        • Washing Food: Does it Promote Food Safety?
        • Food Safety While Hiking, Camping & Boating
        • Seguridad Alimentaria Durante Caminatas, Campamentos y Paseos en Bote
      • Meat
        • Bacon and Food Safety
        • Bagre de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Beef From Farm To Table
        • Bison from Farm to Table
        • Carne de res ablandada mecánicamente
        • Catfish from Farm to Table
        • Color of Cooked Ground Beef as It Relates to Doneness
        • Corned Beef
        • Door-to-Door Meat Sales
        • Fresh Pork from Farm to Table
        • Goat from Farm to Table
        • Ground Beef and Food Safety
        • Hams and Food Safety
        • Hot Dogs & Food Safety
        • Jerky
        • Lamb From Farm to Table
        • Mechanically Tenderized Beef
        • Rabbit From Farm to Table
        • Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats
        • Sausages and Food Safety
        • Veal from Farm to Table
        • Yersiniosis and Chitterlings Tips
      • Poultry
        • Chicken From Farm to Table
        • Chicken Liver
        • Duck and Goose from Farm to Table
        • Hock Locks and Other Accoutrements
        • Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?
        • Let's Talk Turkey Roasting
        • Poultry Processing: Questions & Answers
        • Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating
        • Stuffing and Food Safety
        • The Poultry Label Says "Fresh"
        • Turduckens Require Safe Food Handling
        • Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing
        • Turkey Basics: Stuffing
        • Turkey from Farm to Table
        • Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table
      • Eggs
        • Egg Products and Food Safety
        • Shell Eggs from Farm to Table
      • Emergencies
        • A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes
        • Fires and Food Safety
        • Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies
        • Removing Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers
      • USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
      • Brochures & Publications
    • Food Defense and Emergency Response
      • Emergency Response
      • Continuity of Operations (COOP)
      • Food Defense
        • Risk Mitigation Tool
        • Food Defense Considerations for Transportation of FSIS-Regulated Products
        • Food Defense Tools, Resources and Training
        • Functional Food Defense Plans
        • International Food Defense
  • Science & Data
    • Research Priorities
    • Data Sets & Visualizations
      • Microbiology
        • Baseline Microbiology Data Reports
        • Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat and Poultry Products
          • Tables & Results Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat
          • Tables & Results: Microbiological Testing Program Pasteurized Egg Products
          • Aggregate Salmonella Categorization of Raw Chicken Parts, NRTE Comminuted Poultry, Young Chicken Carcass and Young Turkey Carcass Establishments Using Moving Windows
          • Salmonella Initiative Program Criteria
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Antimicrobial Resistance
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Raw Beef Products
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Ready-to-eat Products and Egg Products
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Salmonella
            • Salmonella Action Plan: A One and Two Year Update
        • Microbiological Testing Program for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
          • Year-to-Date Totals: Testing of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
          • Annual Report for STEC in Raw Ground Beef or Veal and Raw Ground Beef or Veal Components
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2017
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2018
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2016
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2015
          • Year-to-Date 2018 Totals: Results of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC):
        • Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting
      • Chemical Residues and Contaminants
      • Humane Handling Data
      • Laboratory Sampling Data
        • Egg Product Testing, Years 1995-2017
      • Inspection Task Data
    • Developer Resources
      • Recall API
    • Scientific Reports
      • Public Health Regulations (PHR)
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2022
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2021
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2016
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2017
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2018
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2019
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2020
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2023
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2024
      • Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC)
    • Laboratories & Procedures
      • Accredited Laboratory Program
        • Key Facts: ISO Accreditation
      • FSIS Laboratories
        • Requesting Bacterial Isolates from FSIS
    • Risk Assessments
    • Sampling Program
      • Raw Pork Products Exploratory Sampling Program
      • Sampling Results for FSIS Regulated Products
    • National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS)
    • Journal Publications
  • Policy
    • Food Safety Acts
      • Federal Meat Inspection Act
      • Poultry Products Inspection Act
      • Egg Products Inspection Act
      • Humane Methods of Slaughter Act
    • FSIS Guidelines
    • Directives & Notices
      • FSIS Notices
      • FSIS Directives
    • Petitions
    • Federal Register & Rulemaking
      • Federal Register Notices
      • Federal Register Rules
      • Executive Orders, Small Business Protection Laws & Other Guidance
      • Regulatory Priorities
    • Advisory Committees
      • National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI)
      • National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
        • 2021-2023 National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
        • NACMCF 2022 Subcommittee
        • 2018-2020 National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
  • Inspection
    • Inspection Programs
      • Inspection of Meat Products
        • Humane Handling Ombudsman
        • Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection
      • Inspection of Poultry Products
        • Reducing Salmonella in Poultry
          • Pilot Projects: Salmonella Control Strategies
          • Proposed Regulatory Framework to Reduce Salmonella Illnesses Attributable to Poultry
            • Component 1
            • Component 2
            • Component 3
          • Salmonella By the Numbers
          • Salmonella KPI
          • Salmonella Risk Assessments
        • Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection
      • Inspection of Egg Products
      • Inspection of Siluriformes
    • Compliance Guidance
      • Significant Guidance
      • HACCP
        • HACCP-Based-Inspection Models Project
          • New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS)
          • HIMP Redesign Achievement of Performance Standards Young Chicken Plants
          • List of HIMP Participating Plants
        • HACCP Validation
      • PHIS
        • PHIS: Historical Information
      • Retail Guidance
      • Small & Very Small Plant Guidance
        • Appealing Inspection Decisions
        • Food Safety Resources for Small and Very Small Plant Outreach: Order Form
        • Small Plant Help Desk
        • Small Plant Help Desk Form
      • Microbial Risk
        • Listeria Monocytogenes
        • Salmonella
        • Shiga Toxin-Producing E.Coli (STEC) and E. Coli O157:H7
        • Specified Risk Material
          • BSE Rules Being Strictly Enforced
      • Specified Risk Material Resources
      • Food Safety Assessments Tools
      • Recall Process
      • Sanitation Performance Standards Compliance Guide
      • Labeling
        • Basics of Labeling
        • Claims Guidance
        • Nonfood Compounds
          • Compounds Used for Construction and Repair in Federally Inspected Meat and Poultry Plants
          • Criteria Used by the Former Compounds and Packaging Branch for Evaluating Nonfood Compounds and Proprietary Substances
        • Ingredients Guidance
        • Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
          • Integration of Paper Label Applications into the Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
        • Labeling Policies
          • Human Food Made with Cultured Animal Cells
          • Regulations for Package Dating
          • Comprehensive List of Reasons for Label Modifications and Returns
        • Labeling Procedures
          • Information Required For Requesting a Temporary Approval
          • 10 Most Common Mistakes And How to Avoid Them
          • Label Submission Checklist
          • Labeling Situations That Can Not Have a Temporary Approval
          • Labeling and Establishment Responsibilities
          • Ten Most Commonly Asked Labeling Questions
          • Trans Fat Declarations in the Nutrition Facts Panel on Product Labeling
      • New Technology
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2003
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2004
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2005
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2003
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2004
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2005
        • NOL for Non-O157 STEC Test Methods
        • New Technology Information Table
      • Humane Handling
    • Import & Export
      • Import & Export Library
        • Eligible Foreign Establishments
        • U.S. Establishments by Country
          • Australia Eligible Establishments
          • Brazil Export Eligible Establishments
          • Egypt Export Eligible Establishments
          • Gibraltar Export Eligible Establishments
          • Israel Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Casings) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Cold Storage Facilities) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Mexico Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Beef) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Pork) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Poultry) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Prepared Products) Export Eligible Establishments
          • South Africa Eligible Establishments
      • Import Guidance
        • FSIS Import Procedures for Meat, Poultry & Egg Products
        • FSIS Import Reinspection
        • Sourcing Egg Products and Shell Eggs From Foreign Countries
      • Export Guidance
      • Equivalence
      • PHIS Components
      • International Reports
        • Foreign Audit Reports
        • Import and Export Data
    • Regulatory Enforcement
      • Humane Handling Enforcement
      • Quarterly Enforcement Reports
        • Quarterly Enforcement Reports (Narrative, Archived v1)
        • Quarterly Enforcement Reports (Narrative, Archived v2)
        • Quarterly Enforcement Reports (Narrative, Archived v3)
        • Quarterly Enforcement Reports (Narrative, Archived v4)
      • FSIS Policies on Regulatory Decisions
    • Inspection Training & Videos
      • Inspection & Mission Training
      • Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Videos
      • Regulatory Education Video Seminars
    • Apply for Grant of Inspection
      • Grants & Financial Options
    • State Inspection Programs
      • Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program
        • Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) Establishments
      • Guidance Documents for State and Local Agencies
      • States With and Without Inspection Programs
      • Reviews of State Programs
    • Establishments
      • FSIS Inspected Establishments
      • Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory
    • Inspection Forms
  • About FSIS
    • History
    • Leadership & Organizational Structure
    • Strategic Planning
      • FSIS Enterprise Governance Decision Making Process
    • Core Values
    • Food Safety & Agency Partners
      • Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
    • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
      • FSIS Adjudications
      • FSIS FOIA Reading Room
      • Frequently Requested Records
    • Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS)
  • Contact Us
    • FSIS Offices
      • Office for Food Safety (OFS)
      • Office of the Administrator (OA)
      • Office of Field Operations (OFO)
      • Office of Investigation, Enforcement, and Audit (OIEA)
      • Office of Public Health Science (OPHS)
      • Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD)
      • Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
      • Office of International Coordination (OIC)
      • Office of Employee Experience and Development (OEED)
      • Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
      • Office of Management (OM)
      • Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE)
      • Internal Affairs (IA)
      • Office of Planning Analysis Risk Management (OPARM)
      • Civil Rights Staff
    • FSIS Department Emails
    • State Contacts
    • askFSIS
      • Having Trouble with the Webform
    • Pregúntele a Karen
  • Careers
    • Apply for a Job
    • Job Opportunities
    • Career Profiles
      • Administrative Positions
      • Compliance Investigator Positions
      • Consumer Safety Inspector
      • Food Inspector
      • Professional Positions
      • Public Health Veterinarian (PHV)
      • Scientific Positions
    • Incentives
      • Federal Employee Benefits Summary
    • Hiring Paths
      • Veterans Apprenticeship Program
      • Professionals with Disabilities
      • FSIS Student Employment Programs
      • Externships and Volunteer Opportunities
    • Who Works for Us
      • CSI James McDonald’s Federal Career Spans 55 Years and Counting
      • Dr. Kenneth Clevenger — Celebrating a 60-Year Federal Career Offering Work-Life Balance
      • Vincent Daniel “Found a Job” that Became a 40-Plus-Year Career
      • Manuel Madrid’s Climb up the FSIS Career Ladder
      • Archives
  • News & Events
    • Events & Meetings
      • Officials' Calendar of Meetings
      • Food Safety Education Month
    • News & Press Releases
      • News Feeds & Subscriptions
    • Publications
    • Branding & Toolkits
  • Employees
    • HR Policies & Systems
      • Forms
      • Performance Management
    • Understanding Your Benefits
      • Emergency Backup Dependent Care (EBDC) Program
    • FSIS Safety
      • COVID-19 Pandemic Resources
        • Information about Face Coverings/Masks and Face Shields
      • Workplace Violence
    • Onboarding
      • New Hire Training
    • Agency Awards & Achievements
    • Professional Development Opportunities
      • OFO Workforce Investment Initiative Pilot Program
    • Employee News & Stories
      • FSIS Snapshots
        • September 2023 Snapshots
        • August 2023 Snapshots
        • July 2023 Snapshots
        • June 2023 Snapshots
        • May 2023 Snapshots
        • April 2023 Snapshots
        • March 2023 Snapshots
        • February 2023 Snapshots
        • January 2023 Snapshots
        • December 2022 Snapshots
        • November 2022 Snapshots
        • October 2022 Snapshots
        • September 2022 Snapshots
        • August 2022 Snapshots
        • July 2022 Snapshots
        • June 2022 Snapshots
        • May 2022 Snapshots
        • April 2022 Snapshots
        • March 2022 Snapshots
        • February 2022 Snapshots
        • January 2022 Snapshots
        • December 2021 Snapshots
        • November 2021 Snapshots
        • October 2021 Snapshots
        • September 2021 Snapshots
        • August 2021 Snapshots
        • July 2021 Snapshots
        • June 2021 Snapshots
      • Submit Your Stories
      • Hispanic Heritage Month — Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power and Progress in America
      • The Power of Alternate Dispute Resolution Programs: Resolving Workplace Conflicts Efficiently
      • Archives
        • ARCHIVE: Black History Month — Resistance Through Agricultural Innovations
        • ARCHIVE: Meet Pickle-Eating Champ, CSI Joe Smith
        • ARCHIVE: Supervisors Make All the Difference!
        • ARCHIVE: Disability: Part of the Equity Equation
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month — Workplace Violence: Active Shooter
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month - Cyber Security for Remote Work
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month: Occupant Emergency Planning
        • ARCHIVE: Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month: Emergency Alerts
        • ARCHIVE: Chief Data Scientist — and Puzzle Solver — Justin Ronca
        • ARCHIVE: Message from Leadership — Women’s Equality Day
        • ARCHIVE: Managing Heat Risk in Hot Weather
        • ARCHIVE: New Netflix Show Features USDA and FSIS
        • ARCHIVE: Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month — Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration
        • ARCHIVE: Thank You for Your Public Service
        • ARCHIVE: World Veterinary Day — Recognizing the Resilience of FSIS Veterinarians
        • ARCHIVE: Two Hero Inspectors Provide Potentially Life-Saving CPR to a Plant Employee
        • ARCHIVE: Hero Inspector Saves a Life While on the Road
        • ARCHIVE: Administrative Professionals Day — Thank You
        • ARCHIVE: Chief Information Security Officer Marvin Lykes Recognized for Operational Excellence
        • ARCHIVE: Women’s History Month: Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope
        • ARCHIVE: Alameda District Awards Petaluma Circuit Inspectors Recognition Coins
        • ARCHIVE: Collaborating in the Caribbean — Bringing Awareness About African Swine Fever
        • ARCHIVE: Message from Leadership — Be an Advocate for Public Health
        • ARCHIVE: Message from Leadership — Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
        • ARCHIVE: In Their Own Words: The 2021 Administrator’s Awards for Excellence Winners Speak Out
        • ARCHIVE: CSI Koffi Hoenou – From Togolese Teacher to U.S. Citizen
        • ARCHIVE: Dearborn, Mich., Circuit Inspectors Receive Collaborative Coins
        • ARCHIVE: Don’t Invite Foodborne Illness to the Party
        • ARCHIVE: Inspection for Ritual Meat and Poultry Slaughter
        • ARCHIVE: Thanksgiving Message from Leadership
        • ARCHIVE: Make a Difference for You and Your Colleagues – Respond to FEVS by Dec. 3
        • ARCHIVE: American Indian/Alaskan Native Heritage Month — Together Towards Tomorrow
        • ARCHIVE: Federal State Audit Staff Twice Honored for Supporting Military Staff
        • ARCHIVE: Veterans Day Messages from FSIS Leadership
        • ARCHIVE: Food Inspector Apprenticeship Programs for Veterans
        • ARCHIVE: Disability Employment Awareness Month — America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion
        • ARCHIVE: Helping Today’s Inspectors Be Tomorrow’s Leaders with Tuition Reimbursement
        • ARCHIVE: Dr. Geraldine Vidal-Covas Embraces Her Hispanic Heritage, Encourages All
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month – Home Go Kits & Pets
        • ARCHIVE: Mask Requirements Updated for FSIS Employees
        • ARCHIVE: Modernizing Egg Inspection
        • ARCHIVE: FSIS Recognized Twice for 2020 Food Safety Education Efforts
        • ARCHIVE: Four Steps to Good Mental Health
        • ARCHIVE: Building Relationships at Work
        • ARCHIVE: Pride Month and USDA’s Commitment to Inclusion
        • ARCHIVE: Honoring the Dedicated Public Servants of FSIS
        • ARCHIVE: Asian American and Pacific Islander Contributions to Our Nation’s History
        • ARCHIVE: USDA Vaccination Heroes Do Their Part for America
        • ARCHIVE: Remembering Their Sacrifice: Jean Hillery, Tom Quadros and Bill Shaline
    • Facilities and Services
    • Employee Bargaining
    • Civil Rights

Food Safety and Inspection Service

  • About FSIS
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • News & Events
  • Employees
  • Food Safety
  • Science & Data
  • Policy
  • Inspection
  • Recalls
  • Search
  • Full Menu
ALERT: Del Valle Import and Export, LLC,… See more details
Page Hero
  • Careers
    • Apply for a Job
    • Job Opportunities
    • Career Profiles
      • Administrative Positions
      • Compliance Investigator Positions
      • Consumer Safety Inspector
      • Food Inspector
      • Professional Positions
      • Public Health Veterinarian (PHV)
      • Scientific Positions
    • Incentives
      • Federal Employee Benefits Summary
    • Hiring Paths
      • Veterans Apprenticeship Program
      • Professionals with Disabilities
      • FSIS Student Employment Programs
      • Externships and Volunteer Opportunities
    • Who Works for Us
      • CSI James McDonald’s Federal Career Spans 55 Years and Counting
      • Dr. Kenneth Clevenger — Celebrating a 60-Year Federal Career Offering Work-Life Balance
      • Vincent Daniel “Found a Job” that Became a 40-Plus-Year Career
      • Manuel Madrid’s Climb up the FSIS Career Ladder
      • Archives
Subscribe for Updates
Document in circle icon

Participate in Creating Standards

FSIS invites the food safety community to participate in establishing standards for our food safety policies and services. Join us for public meetings or respond to comment requests.
Learn More

Archie Magoulas: A Voice for Food Safety

Argyris “Archie” Magoulas is a technical information specialist in the Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education’s Food Safety Education Staff, where he shares food safety knowledge in various ways, including by answering caller questions on the Meat and Poultry Hotline. Follow his family journey to America, and his road from a food science degree to the food industry to FSIS.

Faces-of-FSIS-May-Archie Magoulas with Family

For over 17 years, Argyris (Archie) Magoulas has served as a technical information specialist on the Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education’s Food Safety Education Staff (FSES). In this role, he provides food safety recommendations, educational services and resources to consumers through the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (via phone, chat and e-mail) and AskUSDA. Magoulas stays up-to-date on developments in food, nutrition, labeling and other issues to effectively address questions on those subjects, not just from consumers, but news media and other stakeholders. To help ensure all team members provide consistent responses on the Hotline, Magoulas researches food safety topics and creates abstracts, written explanations and outlines, as well as articles for the Agency’s knowledge database, AskUSDA. Several FSIS program areas also use the database, which allows for key word searches and consistent responses to questions.

After earning his Food Science and Technology degree at the University of Maryland’s School of Agriculture in 1979, Magoulas sought a job in the food industry. He worked many years as a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) professional, primarily working with non-meat/poultry foods. As a laboratory control technician, he performed QA/QC checks at establishments that made salad dressings and mayonnaise. Later, at an apple processing plant, he set up the plant’s entire lab and served as QA lab manager. Magoulas also held a QA/QC position with an establishment that processed deli sausage, jerky products, pickled pork and pickled eggs, where he worked alongside a USDA inspector. The transition from non-meat to meat commodities was easy for Magoulas, as the background needed for QA/QC includes the study of all commodities, including meat and poultry.

In his early days with the Agency, senior food safety specialists with the Hotline were Magoulas’ mentors. Today, as a senior specialist, he shares his experience and knowledge with other specialists. He says he and his peers mentor each other, as they all have something important to share with the rest of the FSES team.

Consumer and Customer Focus

As the primary point of contact for the FSES publications program, Magoulas coordinates the distribution of all FSES publications, such as Cooking for Groups: A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety and the Kitchen Companion: Your Safe Food Handbook. This public outreach to educators, health care professionals, agricultural fairs, cooperative extension programs and others, provides publications and other materials to further emphasize the Agency’s food safety messages to consumers.

Providing local and national media interviews for significant food safety events – July Fourth, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Super Bowl – are also part of Magoulas’ responsibilities. He likes to include “fun facts” in his food safety interviews, such as the number of chicken wings consumed on Super Bowl Sunday (more than 1.4 billion).

Some of the most common questions Magoulas responds to on the Hotline include food product dating (the meaning of “sell by” and “best by” dates); how long foods are considered safe; how best to save leftovers; and freezing food and its effect on food safety. Around the holidays, most calls to the Hotline have to do with preparing a turkey – callers seek advice regarding cooking times, stuffing, getting the temperature of the turkey and other foods right so they are safe to eat, and how to use a thermometer. As the volume of contacts received through the Hotline is highest on Thanksgiving, he and other members of the team take turns every other year working the holiday’s special Hotline hours, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Eastern time. One of the most interesting Hotline calls was from a caller who was traveling with a frozen turkey; she called from the airport to find out if the turkey would be safe to eat for Thanksgiving. The caller was advised that, if not kept properly frozen, the turkey would become dangerous to keep and cook and should be discarded.

Magoulas enjoys working with other program areas in FSIS — and even other federal partners — to ensure callers get the answers they need. For example, a technical question (such as one related to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point requirements) would be forwarded to the FSIS Small Plant Help Desk or AskFSIS. Other calls may be referred to another federal agency such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a question regarding raw milk. 

Empowered to be Successful

Magoulas finds his job rewarding, knowing he and his team are preventing foodborne illnesses and educating the public about food safety. 

“FSIS empowers me to be successful in protecting public health through a combination of training, resources and tools.”
Archie Magoulas

He enjoys taking classes offered in AgLearn, as well as courses offered by other organizations on such topics as how to deal with difficult callers and food science related classes.

“We’ve been fortunate to have Archie on the Meat and Poultry Hotline for 17 years,” said Acting FSES Director Roxanne Smith. “Archie believes in our public health mission and is customer focused, which shows as he helps consumers every day in answering their questions on food safety.” FSES estimates that over his 17 years, Magoulas has responded to over 150,000 inquiries. 

Personal Notes

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Magoulas’ family later moved to Greece, where his father owned and operated a restaurant. When he was 14, his father sought opportunity in the United States, and brought his family to Annapolis, Maryland.

Magoulas and his wife, Yihua (Rebecca), have two sons, Kosta and Yanni. When he’s not working the phones for the Meat and Poultry Hotline, Magoulas enjoys being outdoors hiking, biking and swimming. While it may be several years away, Magoulas anticipates he will continue to help others in his retirement by volunteering at a local food bank or his county’s agricultural extension (or “co-op”), perhaps answering callers’ questions on the co-op’s hotline.

Turkey production line in 1956

Our History

USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service has a long, rich history of improving and protecting America's food supply.
Learn More
David Vasquez-April Faces of FSIS

Core Values

Our team is full of dedicated public servants who embody our core values.
Learn More
Woman hugging her dog

Who Works for Us

"Faces of Food Safety" introduces you to the men and women who play a role in making our food safe.
Learn More
Learn More About FSIS
Last Updated: May 19, 2021
  • USDA.gov
  • USA.gov
  • Whitehouse.gov
  • About Us
  • Our Performance
  • Information Quality & Publishing Schedule
  • Visit OIG
  • FOIA
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Non-Discrimination Statement
  • Plain Writing
  • No FEAR
  • Significant Guidance

Food Safety and Inspection Service

  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • GovDelivery
  • Instagram
  • Flickr
  • YouTube
  • Linked In
  • RSS
.

Start your search

Popular Topics

Recalls Import & Export FSIS Directives FSIS Guidelines Petitions