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  • Food Safety
    • Recalls & Public Health Alerts
      • Report a Problem with Food
        • Additional Recalls
      • Annual Recall Summaries
        • Summary of Recall and PHA Cases in Calendar Year 2023
        • Summary of Recall and PHA Cases in Calendar Year 2022
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2021
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2020
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2019
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2018
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2017
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2016
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2015
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2014
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2013
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2012
    • Food Safety Stats
      • Consumer Research
    • Foodborne Illness and Disease
      • Enfermedades Transmitidas Por Alimentos y Otras Enfermedades
      • Illnesses and Pathogens
        • Botulism
          • Clostridium botulinum y El Botulismo
        • Campylobacter
          • Campylobacter En Español
        • E. coli
        • Listeria
        • Parasites and Foodborne Illness
          • Parásitos y Enfermedades Transmitidas Por los Alimentos
        • Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre Listeria
        • Salmonella
          • Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre Salmonella
      • 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
        • Aditivos en Productos Cárnicos y Avícolas
        • Agua en Carnes y Aves
        • Ahumar Carnes y Aves
        • Air Fryers and Food Safety
        • Alergias Alimentarias: Los “9 Grandes”
        • Appliance Thermometers
        • Asar a la parrilla y seguridad alimentaria
        • Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness
        • Cocción Versus Seguridad
        • Cocinar en Hornos Microondas
        • Cooking for Groups
        • Cooking with Microwave Ovens
        • Cutting Boards
        • Cómo Encontrar el Número de Establecimiento del USDA (EST) en el Empaque de Alimentos
        • Cómo las Temperaturas Afectan a los Alimentos
        • Danger Zone 40F - 140F
        • Deep Fat Frying
        • Doneness Versus Safety
        • El Color de la Carne y Las Aves
        • El Gran Deshielo: Métodos Seguros para Descongelar
        • El Manejo Adecuado de los Alimentos Pedidos Por Correo
        • Entendiendo las Retiradas de Alimentos del Mercado del FSIS
        • Fechas en Productos Alimenticios
        • Food Allergies: The “Big 9”
        • Food Thermometers
        • Freidoras de Aire y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Freír en Grasa y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Glosario de Términos de Empaque
        • Glossary of Packaging Terms
        • Grilling Food Safely
        • Grilling and Food Safety
        • Guía del Consumidor Sobre Inocuidad Alimentaria: Tormentas y Huracanes Severos
        • High Altitude Cooking
        • Hongos en los Alimentos: ¿Son Peligrosos?
        • How Temperatures Affect Food
        • How to Find the USDA Establishment Number
        • Importación de Productos Cárnicos, Avícolas y Ovoproductos a Estados Unidos
        • Importing Meat, Poultry & Egg Products US
        • Irradiation and Food Safety FAQ
        • Keeping "Bag" Lunches Safe
        • Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
        • La Cocción En Elevaciones Altas
        • La Congelación Y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • La Limpieza Ayuda a Prevenir Enfermedades Transmitidas Por Los Alimentos
        • Las Ollas de Cocción Lenta y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Las Sobras de Comida e Inocuidad Alimentaria
        • Lavado de Alimentos: ¿Promueve la Inocuidad Alimentaria?
        • Mail Order Food Safety
        • Manipulación Adecuada de Alimentos Para Llevar
        • Mantenga los Alimentos Seguros - Conceptos Básicos de Inocuidad Alimentaria
        • Manteniendo Seguros Los Almuerzos En "Bolsas"
        • Materiales de Empaque para Carnes y Aves
        • Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
        • Meat and Poultry Packaging Materials
        • Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?
        • Natural Flavors on Meat and Poultry Labels
        • Preguntas Frecuentes Sobre Irradiación y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre la Seguridad Alimentaria Durante un Tailgate
        • Sabores Naturales de Carnes y Aves en las Etiquetas
        • Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods
        • Seguridad Alimentaria Durante Caminatas, Campamentos y Paseos en Bote
        • Seguridad Alimentaria de Comida No Perecedera
        • Slow Cookers and Food Safety
        • Smoking Meat and Poultry
        • Tabla de Temperatura Interna Mínima Segura
        • Tablas de Cortar
        • Tailgating Food Safety Q & A
        • Termómetros para Alimentos
        • Termómetros para Electrodomésticos
        • Términos de Etiquetado de Carnes y Aves
        • Understanding FSIS Food Recalls
        • Voluntarios Sobre la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Water in Meat & Poultry
        • Zona de Peligro (40 F - 140 F)
        • Food Product Dating
        • Freezing and Food Safety
        • Leftovers and Food Safety
        • Refrigeration
          • La Refrigeración y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Safe Temperature Chart
        • Shelf-Stable Food
        • 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
      • Meat & Catfish
        • Bacon and Food Safety
        • Bagre de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Beef From Farm To Table
        • Bison from Farm to Table
        • Bisonte de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Cabra de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne Seca y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Carne de Cerdo Fresca de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne de Res de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne de Ternera de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne de res ablandada mecánicamente
        • Carne en Conserva y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Catfish from Farm to Table
        • Color de la Carne Molida Cocida en Relación Con El Grado De Cocción
        • Color of Cooked Ground Beef as It Relates to Doneness
        • Conejo de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Cordero de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Corned Beef
        • Cuando se Asan “Otras” Carnes para las Fiestas
        • Door-to-Door Meat Sales
        • El Jamón y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • El Tocino y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • 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
        • La Carne Molida y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Lamb From Farm to Table
        • Las Salchichas “hot dogs” y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Los Embutidos y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Mechanically Tenderized Beef
        • Rabbit From Farm to Table
        • Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats
        • Sausages and Food Safety
        • Veal from Farm to Table
        • Venta de Carne a Domicilio
        • Yersiniosis and Chitterlings Tips
        • Yersiniosis y los Chinchulines (Tripas): Consejos Para Protegerlo de Enfermedades Transmitidas Por Alimentos
      • Poultry
        • Happy Thanksgiving!
        • Amarras para las Aves y Otros Accesorios
        • Aves: Baños en Solución, Salmueras y Marinadas
        • Chicken From Farm to Table
        • Chicken Liver
        • Duck and Goose from Farm to Table
        • El Relleno y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Hablemos Sobre el Pavo: Una Guía Para el Consumidor Sobre Cómo Asar un Pavo de Forma Segura
        • Hock Locks and Other Accoutrements
        • Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?
        • La Etiqueta del Ave Dice “Fresco”
        • La Preparación de Turduckens Requiere un Manejo Adecuado
        • Let's Talk Turkey Roasting
        • Pato y Ganso de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Pavo de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Pavo: Rutas Alternativas Hacia la Mesa
        • Pollo de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Poultry Processing: Questions & Answers
        • Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: Cocinar De Forma Adecuada
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: Como Descongelar Seguramente
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: El Relleno
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: Manejo de las Comidas Cocidas
        • Procesamiento de Aves: Preguntas y Respuestas
        • 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
        • ¿Es Segura la Carne de Pavo Rosada?
      • Eggs
        • Egg Products and Food Safety
        • Huevos en Cascarón De la Granja a la Mesa
        • Ovoproductos e Inocuidad Alimentaria
        • Shell Eggs from Farm to Table
      • Emergencies
        • A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes
        • Eliminando Olores de Refrigeradores y Congeladores
        • Fires and Food Safety
        • Incendios y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • 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
      • FSIS/ORISE Food Safety Fellowship Program
        • Aaron Dudley
        • Lauren Lee
        • Sharon Nieves-Miranda
        • Yesutor Soku
        • Ali Strickland
    • 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 2025
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2024
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2023
        • 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 2020
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2019
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2018
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2017
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2016
      • 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)
        • 2023-2025 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)
    • FSIS Procurement
    • National Federal Financial Assistance
    • Regulatory Decisions & Non-Retaliation
  • 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
            • BSE Workshops for Small & Very Small Plants
          • FSIS BSE Resources
      • 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
        • Eligible U.S. Establishments by Country
          • Australia Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Lamb Export Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Pork Export Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Poultry Export Eligible Establishments
          • Brazil Export Eligible Establishments
          • Egypt Export Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Beef 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
    • Inspection Training & Videos
      • Humane Interactive Knowledge Exchange (HIKE) Scenarios
      • 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 of 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
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  • Careers
    • Apply for a Job
    • Job Opportunities
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      • Administrative Positions
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      • Professional Positions
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    • Who Works for Us
      • Stephanie Galvan Prioritizes Excellence in FSIS
      • Yolanda Kennedy-Edwards: Compassion and Continuous Improvement to Catapult Change
      • Arsalan “AJ” Jalisi Enhances Decision-Making and Engagement with Data Analytics
      • Archives
    • Hiring Paths
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      • Externships and Volunteer Opportunities
    • Federal Employee Benefits Summary
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    • Events & Meetings
      • Officials' Calendar of Meetings
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      • HPAI (H5N1) Information
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      • Exit Interview Guide
    • Agency Awards & Achievements
      • 2024 Under Secretary’s Awards and Administrator’s Awards for Excellence Ceremony
    • Employee News & Stories
      • FSIS Snapshots
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      • Submit Your Stories
      • Archives
        • ARCHIVE: Professional Development and Education Benefits as a Recruitment Tool
        • ARCHIVE: Improved PHIS Task Distributor Comes Online!
        • ARCHIVE: Reflections on a Changing Paradigm: World Veterinary Day
        • ARCHIVE: FSIS at Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Conference
        • ARCHIVE: The Power of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs: Resolving Workplace Conflicts Efficiently
        • ARCHIVE: Third FSIS International Meat, Poultry and Egg Products Inspection Seminar Held in Santiago, Chile
        • ARCHIVE: Supervisors Make All the Difference!
        • 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: National Preparedness Month: Emergency Alerts
        • ARCHIVE: Managing Heat Risk in Hot Weather
        • ARCHIVE: New Netflix Show Features USDA and FSIS
        • 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: Alameda District Awards Petaluma Circuit Inspectors Recognition Coins
        • ARCHIVE: Collaborating in the Caribbean — Bringing Awareness About African Swine Fever
        • 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: 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: Helping Today’s Inspectors Be Tomorrow’s Leaders with Tuition Reimbursement
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month – Home Go Kits & Pets
        • 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: Honoring the Dedicated Public Servants of FSIS
        • ARCHIVE: Remembering Their Sacrifice: Jean Hillery, Tom Quadros and Bill Shaline
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Food Safety and Inspection Service

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  • Food Safety
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      • Report a Problem with Food
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        • Summary of Recall and PHA Cases in Calendar Year 2023
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Hams and Food Safety

A plate of ham

Hams can be fresh, cook-before-eating, cooked, picnic and country types. There are so many kinds, and their storage times and cooking times can be quite confusing. This background information serves to carve up the facts and make them easier to understand.

Hams may be fresh, cured or cured-and-smoked. Ham is the cured leg of pork. Fresh ham is an uncured leg of pork. Fresh ham will bear the term "fresh" as part of the product name and is an indication that the product is not cured. "Turkey" ham is a ready-to-eat product made from cured thigh meat of turkey. The term "turkey ham" is always followed by the statement "cured turkey thigh meat."

The usual color for cured ham is deep rose or pink; fresh ham (which is not cured) has the pale pink or beige color of a fresh pork roast; country hams and prosciutto (which are dry cured) range from pink to a mahogany color.

Hams are either ready-to-eat or not. Ready-to-eat hams include prosciutto and cooked hams; they can be eaten right out of the package. Fresh hams and hams that are only treated to destroy trichinae (which may include heating, freezing or curing in the processing plant) must be cooked by the consumer before eating. Hams that must be cooked will bear cooking instructions and safe handling instructions.

Hams that are not ready-to-eat, but have the appearance of ready-to-eat products, will bear a prominent statement on the principal display panel (label) indicating the product needs cooking, e.g., "cook thoroughly." In addition, the label must bear cooking directions.

Curing is the addition of salt, sodium or potassium nitrate (or saltpeter), nitrites, and sometimes sugar, seasonings, phosphates and cure accelerators, e.g., sodium ascorbate, to pork for preservation, color development and flavor enhancement.

Nitrate and nitrite contribute to the characteristic cured flavor and reddish-pink color of cured pork. Nitrite and salt inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum, a deadly microorganism which can occur in foods under certain situations.

Curing and flavoring solutions are added to pork by injection and by massaging and tumbling the solution into the muscle, both of which produce a more tender product.

Dry Curing

In dry curing, the process used to make country hams and prosciutto, fresh ham is rubbed with a dry-cure mixture of salt and other ingredients. Dry curing produces a salty product. In 1992, U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved a trichinae treatment method that permits substituting up to half of the sodium chloride with potassium chloride to result in lower sodium levels. Since dry curing draws out moisture, it reduces ham weight by at least 18% — but typically 20 to 25%; this results in a more concentrated ham flavor.

Dry-cured hams may be aged more than a year. Six months is the traditional process but may be shortened according to aging temperature.

These uncooked hams are safe stored at room temperature and because they contain so little water, bacteria can't multiply in them. Dry-cured ham is not injected with a curing solution or processed by immersion in a curing solution, but it may be smoked. Today, dry cured hams may be marketed as items that need preparation on the part of the consumer to make them safe to eat. So, as with all meat products, it is important to read the label on hams to determine the proper preparation needed.

Wet Curing or Brine Cure

Brine curing is the most popular way to produce hams. It is a wet cure whereby fresh meat is injected with a curing solution before cooking. Brining ingredients can include ingredients such as salt, sugar, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium erythorbate, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride, water and flavorings. Smoke flavoring (liquid smoke) may also be injected with brine solution. Cooking may occur during this process.

After curing, some hams are smoked. Smoking is a process by which ham is hung in a smokehouse and allowed to absorb smoke from smoldering fires, which gives added flavor and color to meat and slows the development of rancidity. Not all smoked meat is smoked from smoldering fires. A popular process is to heat the ham in a smokehouse and generate smoke from atomized smoke flavor.

The foodborne pathogens (organisms in food that can cause disease) that can be found in pork, as well as other meats and poultry, are Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. They are all destroyed by proper handling and thorough cooking to an internal temperature of 160°F. The following pathogens are associated with ham:

  • Trichinella spiralis (trichinae) — Parasites that are sometimes present in hogs. All hams must be processed according to USDA guidelines to kill trichinae.
  • Staphylococcus aureus (staph) — These bacteria are destroyed by cooking and processing but can be reintroduced via mishandling. They can then produce a toxin which is not destroyed by further cooking. Dry curing of hams may or may not destroy S. aureus, but the high salt content on the exterior inhibits the growth of these bacteria. When the ham is sliced, the moister interior will permit staphylococcal multiplication. Thus, sliced dry-cured hams must be refrigerated.
  • Mold — Can often be found on country cured ham. Most of these are harmless but some molds can produce mycotoxins. Molds grow on hams during the long curing and drying process because the high salt and low temperatures do not inhibit these robust organisms. DO NOT DISCARD the ham. Wash it with hot water and scrub off the mold with a stiff vegetable brush.

When buying a ham, estimate the size needed according to the number of servings the type of ham should yield:

  • 1/4-1/3 lb. per serving of boneless ham
  • 1/3-1/2 lb. of meat per serving of bone-in ham

Both whole or half, cooked, vacuum-packaged hams packaged in federally inspected plants and canned hams can be eaten cold, right out of the package.

However, if you want to reheat these cooked hams, set the oven no lower than 325°F and heat to an internal temperature of 140°F as measured with a food thermometer.

Unpackaged, cooked ham is potentially contaminated with pathogens. For cooked hams that have been repackaged in any other location outside the processing plant or for leftover cooked ham, heat to 165°F.

Spiral-cut cooked hams are also safe to eat cold. The unique slicing method, invented in 1957, reduces carving problems. These hams are best served cold because heating sliced whole or half hams can dry out the meat and cause the glaze to melt and run off the meat. If reheating is desired, hams that were packaged in processing plants under USDA inspection must be heated to 140°F as measured with a food thermometer. Leftover spiral-cut hams or ham that has been repackaged in any other location outside the plant, must be heated to 165°F. To reheat a spiral-sliced ham in a conventional oven, cover the entire ham or portion with heavy aluminum foil and heat at 325°F for about 10 minutes per pound. Individual slices may also be warmed in a skillet or microwave.

Cook-before-eating hams or fresh hams must reach 145°F, with a 3-minute rest time, to be to be safely cooked before serving. Cook in an oven set no lower than 325°F. Hams can also be safely cooked in a microwave oven, other countertop appliances and on the stove. Consult a cookbook for specific methods and timing.

Country hams can be soaked 4 to 12 hours or longer in the refrigerator to reduce the salt content before cooking. Then they can be cooked by boiling or baking. Follow the manufacturer's cooking instructions.

Timetable for Cooking Ham

NOTE: Set oven temperature to 325°F. Cook all raw fresh ham and ready-to-eat ham to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, as measured with a food thermometer, before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures. Reheat cooked hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140°F and all others to 165°F.

Cut Weight/lbs Minutes/lb Minimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time
Smoked Ham, Cook-Before-Eating
Whole, Bone in 10 to 14 18 to 20 145°F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
Half, Bone in 5 to 7 22 to 25
Shank or Butt Portion, Bone in 3 to 4 35 to 40
Arm Picnic Shoulder, Boneless 5 to 8 30 to 35
Shoulder Roll (Butt), Boneless 2 to 4 35 to 40
Smoked Ham, Cooked
Whole, Bone in 10 to 14 15 to 18 Reheat cooked hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140°F and all others to 165°F.
Half, Bone in 5 to 7 18 to 24
Arm Picnic Shoulder, Boneless 5 to 8 25 to 30
Canned Ham, Boneless 3 to 10 15 to 20
Vacuum Packed, Boneless 6 to 12 10 to 15
Spiral Cut, Whole or Half 7 to 9 10 to 18
Fresh Ham, Uncooked
Whole Leg, Bone in 12 to 16 22 to 26 145°F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
Whole Leg, Boneless 10 to 14 24 to 28
Half, Bone in 5 to 8 35 to 40
Country Ham
Whole or Half. Soak 4 to 12 hours in refrigerator. Cover with water and boil 20 to 25 minutes per pound. Drain, glaze and brown at 400°F for 15 minutes.

 

Ham Storage Chart

NOTE: Freezer storage is for quality only. Frozen hams remain safe indefinitely.

Type of Ham Refrigerate Freeze
Fresh (Uncured) Ham, Uncooked 3 to 5 days 6 months
Fresh (Uncured) Ham, Cooked 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 months
Cured Ham, Cook-Before-Eating; Uncooked 5 to 7 days or “use-by” date* 3 to 4 months
Cured Ham, Cook-Before-Eating; After Consumer Cooks it 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Cooked Ham, Vacuum Sealed at Plant, Undated; Unopened 2 weeks 1 to 2 months
Cooked Ham, Vacuum Sealed at Plant, Dated; Unopened “Use-by” date* 1 to 2 months
Cooked Ham, Vacuum Sealed at Plant, Undated or Dated; Opened 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Cooked Ham, Whole, Store Wrapped 7 days 1 to 2 months
Cooked Ham, Half, Store Wrapped 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Cooked Ham, Slices, Store Wrapped 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Spiral-Cut Hams and Leftovers From Consumer-Cooked Hams 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
**Country Ham, Uncooked, Cut 2 to 3 months 1 month
Country Ham, Cooked 7 days 1 month
Canned Ham, Labeled "Keep Refrigerated," Unopened 6 to 9 months Do not freeze
Canned Ham, Labeled "Keep Refrigerated," Opened 7 days 1 to 2 months
***Canned Ham, Shelf Stable, Opened 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 months
Lunch Meat Ham, Sealed at Plant, Unopened 2 weeks or “use-by” date* 1 to 2 months
Lunch Meat Ham, Sealed at Plant, After Opening 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Lunch Meat Ham, Sliced in Store 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Prosciutto, Parma or Serrano Ham, Dry Italian or Spanish Type, Cut 2 to 3 months 1 month

*Company determines its "use-by" date and stands by it. ** A whole, uncut country ham can be stored safely at room temperature for up to 1 year. The ham is safe after 1 year, but the quality may suffer. *** An unopened shelf-stable, canned ham may be stored at room temperature for 2 years.

Ham Glossary

Canned Ham: "Canned meat with Natural Juices" is acceptable for product that has been pumped or contains up to 10% of a solution before canning and processing. Processed, canned, uncured meat products (when water or broth is added to the can) may not be called "with natural juices." The acceptable name would be "with juices." Canned hams come in two forms:

  • Shelf stable — Can be stored on the shelf up to 2 years at room temperature. Generally, not over 3 pounds in size. Processed to kill all spoilage bacteria and pathogenic organisms such as Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella and Trichinella spiralis. The product is free of microorganisms capable of growing at ordinary room temperature. However, high temperature storage — above 122°F (50°C) — may result in harmless thermophylic bacteria multiplying and swelling or souring the product.
  • Refrigerated — May be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 to 9 months. Its weight can be up to 8% more than original uncured weight due to the uptake of water during curing. It need not be labeled "Added water" except for "In Natural Juices." Net Weight is the weight of the actual ham excluding the container. Processed at a cook time and temperature sufficient to kill infectious organisms (including trichinae); however, the ham is not sterilized so spoilage bacteria may grow eventually.

Capacollo, Cooked (Capicola, Capocolla, Capacola, Capicollo, Cappicola, Capacolo - Italian): This product does not meet the definition of ham because it is not from the hind leg of a hog. It is boneless pork shoulder butts which are cured and then cooked. The curing process may be dry curing, immersion curing or pump curing. The cured product is coated with spices and paprika before cooking. This product shall always be labeled with "Cooked" as part of the product name. Added water is permitted.

Capacolla, Ham, Cooked: Ham that has been cured and then cooked.

Cook Before Eating: Needs cooking or further cooking. Is not cooked in the plant or heat treated in the plant and should be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F.

Cottage "Ham": A cut from the top end of the shoulder, known as the shoulder butt, which has been cured in brine. Because it is not from the hind leg of the hog, it doesn't meet the definition of ham. The meat is not cooked. Another term for it is "cottage roll."

Country Ham, Country Style Ham or Dry Cured Ham, and Country Pork Shoulder, Country Style Pork Shoulder or Dry Cured Pork Shoulder: The uncooked, cured, dried, smoked or unsmoked meat food products made respectively from a single piece of meat conforming to the definition of "ham," or from a single piece of meat from a pork shoulder. They are prepared by the dry application of salt or by salt and one or more optional ingredients: nutritive sweeteners, spices, seasonings, flavorings, sodium or potassium nitrate, and sodium or potassium nitrite. They may not be injected with curing solutions nor placed in curing solutions. The product must be treated for the destruction of possible live trichinae.

Fully Cooked or Cooked: Needs no further cooking because it is fully cooked at the establishment where it was produced and packaged. Product can be eaten right out of the package or reheated. Fully cooked is synonymous with cooked.

Gelatin: Gelatin is a binder/extender and is only permitted in a few meat and poultry products like sausage, luncheon meat and meat loaves. About 1/4 ounce of dry gelatin is often added before a canned ham is sealed to cushion the ham during shipment. During processing, natural juices cook out of the ham and combine with the gelatin. When the ham cools, a jell forms. Gelatin is included in the net weight statement on the label and its presence is also qualified in the product name, e.g., Canned Ham, Gelatin Added."

Half Ham: "Half Ham" is permitted on labels for semi-boneless ham products which have had the shank muscles removed during processing. The two halves of the finished product have approximately an equal amount of bone. The term "No Slices Removed" has also been deemed suitable for use with a ham item referred to as "Half Ham."

Ham: Cured leg of pork. In order to be labeled as "Ham," the product must be at least 20.5% protein in lean portion as described in 9 CFR 319.104. Added water is permitted in a product labeled as "Ham." In fact, water will be declared in order of predominance in the ingredients statement. This is how the cure solution is introduced into a ham.

Ham and Water Products X% of Weight is Added Ingredients: Product contains more additives than a "Ham Water Added," but the product name must indicate percent of "added ingredients." For example, "Ham and Water Product 25% of Weight is Added Ingredients" for any canned ham with less than 17.0% protein.

Ham, Boiled: A fully cooked, boneless product which must be cooked in water and may be processed in a casing or can. The product may be of various shapes and may be partially cooked in boiling water.

Ham, Fresh or Uncured: The uncured leg of pork. Since the meat is not cured or smoked, it has the flavor of a fresh pork loin roast or pork chops. Its raw color is pinkish red and after cooking, grayish white. Ham that does not contain a cure must be labeled either "Fresh" or "Uncured" — prepared without nitrate or nitrite. This also applies to cooked product and must be labeled "Cooked Uncured Ham."

Ham Salad: Product must contain at least 35% cooked ham. Chopped ham may be used without it appearing in the product name.

Ham, Scotch Style: A cured, uncooked, boned and rolled whole ham either tied or in a casing.

Ham Shank End, Ham Shank Half or Ham Shank Portion: The lower, slightly pointed part of the leg. A "portion" has the center slices removed for separate sale as "ham steaks." A half ham does not have slices removed.

Ham, Skinless, Shankless: A ham with all of the skin and the shank removed. The leg bone and aitch (hip) bone remain.

Ham, Smithfield: This is an aged, dry-cured ham made exclusively in Smithfield, Virginia. The use of the words "brand" or "style," e.g., "Smithfield Brand Ham," "Smithfield Style Ham," does not eliminate this requirement.

Ham Steak: Another name for ham slices.

Ham — Water Added: The product is at least 17.0% protein with 10% added solution.

Ham With Natural Juices: The product is at least 18.5% protein.

Hickory-Smoked Ham: A cured ham which has been smoked by hanging over burning hickory wood chips in a smokehouse. May not be labeled "hickory smoked" unless hickory wood has been used. Atomized liquid hickory smoke and heat can combine to produce "hickory smoke."

Honey-Cured: May be shown on the labeling of a cured product if (1) the honey used contains at least 80% solids or is U.S. grade C or above; (2) honey is the only sweetening ingredient or when other sweetening ingredients are used in combination with honey, they do not exceed 1/2 the amount of honey used; and (3) honey is used in an amount sufficient to flavor and/or affect the appearance of the finished
product.

"Lean" Ham: The term "lean" may be used on a ham's label provided the product contains less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams cholesterol per 100 grams and Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC).

"Extra Lean" Ham: A ham labeled "extra lean" must contain less than 5 grams fat, less than 2 grams saturated fat and the same cholesterol as allowed per the amount of "lean" ham.

Pork Shoulder Picnic: A front shoulder cut of pork. The term "picnic" cannot be used unless accompanied with the primal or subprimal cut. Pork shoulder picnic is not always a cured item. A shoulder "picnic" comes from the lower portion of the shoulder.

Prosciutto: Italian for ham, dry cured. The product name "Prosciutto" is acceptable on labeling to identify a dry-cured ham. An Italian-style dry cured raw ham; not smoked; often coated with pepper. Prosciutto can be eaten raw because the low water content prevents bacterial growth. Parma ham is prosciutto from the Parma locale in Italy. These hams tend to be larger than the U.S. produced product, as Italian hogs are larger at slaughter.

Prosciutto, Cooked: The product name "Cooked Prosciutto" is acceptable on labeling to identify a Prosciutto that is cooked.

Sectioned and Formed Ham or Chunked and Formed Ham: A boneless ham that is made from different cuts, tumbled or massaged and reassembled into a casing or mold and cooked. During this process it is usually thoroughly defatted. The qualifying phrase "sectioned and formed" is no longer required on boneless ham products, e.g., "ham" and "ham-water added." The addition of small amounts of ground ham added as a binder to such products may be used without declaration. The amount of ground ham that may be used can represent no more than 15% of the weight of the ham ingredients at the time of formulation. Products containing more than 15% ground ham trimmings must be labeled to indicate the presence of the ground ham, e.g., "a portion of ground ham added."

Sugar Cured: May be used on the labeling of a cured product (1) if the sugar used is cane sugar or beet sugar; (2) sugar is the only sweetening ingredient or when other sweetening ingredients are used in combination with sugar, they do not exceed one-half the amount of sugar used; and (3) sugar is used in an amount sufficient to flavor and/or affect the appearance of the finished product.

Westphalian Ham: A German-style dry-cured ham that is similar to Prosciutto; smoked, sometimes made with juniper berries.

NOTE: Most of the definitions in this glossary are from the FSIS "Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book." To access this book, go to: Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book.

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Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness

Cleanliness is a major factor in preventing foodborne illness. Washing hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds can help eliminate germs from your hands.
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Partially carved turkey

Leftovers and Food Safety

Handle leftovers with care: make sure the food is cooked to a safe temperature and refrigerate any leftovers promptly.
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Last Updated: Jan 15, 2025
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