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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
    • FSIS Department Emails
    • State Contacts
    • askFSIS
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  • Careers
    • Apply for a Job
    • Job Opportunities
    • Career Profiles
      • Administrative Positions
      • Compliance Investigator Positions
      • Consumer Safety Inspector
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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
      • Inspector Apprenticeship Programs
      • Professionals with Disabilities
      • Student Employment Programs
      • Externships and Volunteer Opportunities
    • Federal Employee Benefits Summary
  • News & Events
    • Events & Meetings
      • Officials' Calendar of Meetings
      • Food Safety Education Month
    • News & Press Releases
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    • HR Policies & Systems
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      • HPAI (H5N1) Information
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    • Onboarding and Offboarding
      • Employees Separating from FSIS
      • New Hire Training
      • 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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        • 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
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      • Sampling Results for FSIS Regulated Products
    • National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS)
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Scientific Reports

Data Analysis and Reporting

In addition to robust data collection activities supported by FSIS, the Agency also conducts various analyses of FSIS data and data from other federal partners. These analyses and reports are divided into a number of core areas, listed below.

FSIS routinely assesses inspection data to evaluate potential trends and to ensure that inspection procedures are conducted in a timely, appropriate, and effective manner. FSIS also generates several routine reports which highlight, at a high level, Agency inspection activities.

FSIS routinely evaluates data on FSIS regulated domestic establishments and port-of-entry and audit results for foreign countries that import meat, poultry, and egg products to evaluate potential trends and to ensure that FSIS activities are conducted in a timely, appropriate, and effective manner.

FSIS routinely evaluates the effectiveness of policies issued by the Agency to ensure that FSIS policy is meaningful, responsive to changing events and science, and based on the best available information. For example, FSIS periodically reviews inspection data from regulated establishments after the implementation of a new policy to determine if potential trends exist in noncompliances over time. This allows FSIS to determine whether the new policy produced the change sought when it was issued.

FSIS also seeks to estimate the potential public health impact of future policies. For example, FSIS performed an assessment of the new Salmonella and Campylobacter performance standards issued by the Agency in July 2011 to determine how many foodborne illnesses could be avoided through the implementation of the new policy.

Moving forward, FSIS is also developing current and intended risk mitigation strategies to help the Agency better predict the public health impact of new policies. These new strategies will allow FSIS to better predict foodborne illness reductions, allowing for an improved, targeted approach to public health goal setting. Examples of these analyses are posted below.

  • Evaluation of HACCP Inspection Models Project (HIMP) for Market Hogs
  • Public Health Regulations (PHRs) (Decision criteria to prioritize Food Safety Assessments)
  • Potential Public Health Impact of New Salmonella Performance Standards

Foodborne illness attribution is defined as the allocation of foodborne illnesses to specific food products. FSIS currently estimates attribution fractions, or the fraction of foodborne illnesses associated with a particular food product, using the CDC's Electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (e-FORS) and the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS), which contains information about the food item responsible for the outbreak.

FSIS' methodology for estimating foodborne illness attribution for FSIS-regulated products is described below, along with several supporting documents highlighting the history of attribution. FSIS is also a founding member of the Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC), a high-level CDC, FDA, and FSIS workgroup formed in 2011 to investigate new attribution methods and develop a harmonized approach across all three agencies. Information about IFSAC is included below as well.

  • Current FSIS Attribution Methodology
    • CDC FoodNet Data
    • CDC Foodborne Illness Outbreak Data
    • United States Census Data
  • Historical Attribution Information
    • 2007 FSIS Expert Elicitation-RTI
    • 2007 Resources for the Future Expert Elicitation
    • 2005 FSIS Expert Elicitation - RTI (PDF only)
    • FSIS Risk Assessments

FSIS conducts routine pathogen verification testing of regulated products. This testing allows FSIS to monitor the effectiveness, where applicable, of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programs and assess, and minimize the risk to the public's health from contaminated products.

FSIS views results from verification samples from federal establishments as the best indicator of the overall trend of the presence of pathogens in regulated products. For this reason the Agency uses the percentage of positives in these samples as one of its key performance measures. Traditionally, FSIS publicly reports the results of this testing as the percent of all samples that test positive for a particular pathogen. These reports are available on the FSIS website on our Microbiology page.

The U.S. National Residue Program (NRP) is a collaborative interagency program established to protect the public from exposure to harmful levels of chemical residues in meat, poultry, and egg products produced or imported into the United States. The NRP is designed:

  1. to provide a structured process for identifying and evaluating chemical compounds of concern in food animals;
  2. to analyze chemical compounds of concern;
  3. to collect and report results, and
  4. to identify the need for regulatory follow-up when violative levels of chemical residues are found.

FSIS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are the federal agencies primarily involved in managing this program. Since 1967, FSIS has administered the U.S. NRP by collecting samples from meat, poultry, and egg products and analyzing the samples at one of three FSIS laboratories. FSIS also maintains and posts a Residue Repeat Violators List, which contains information to help establishments, Livestock Markets, and inspection program personnel identify residue history of producers.

Sampling Programs

  • See more about FSIS Sampling Programs

The Consumer Complaint Monitoring System (CCMS) was established to provide FSIS a centralized system for managing consumer complaints associated with FSIS-regulated meat, poultry, and egg products. CCMS and the consumer complaints collected in the system provide an additional data source that supports FSIS’s real-time surveillance and response activities, enables the Agency to identify and investigate reports of potentially unsafe food in commerce, and evaluate trends over time.

  • FSIS Consumer Complaint Monitoring System (CCMS) Complaints Annual Report

FSIS, in collaboration with public health partners, investigates foodborne illness associated with FSIS-regulated products to determine which specific products are making people sick so that these products can be removed from commerce to prevent additional illnesses. The annual outbreak reports summarize information about outbreaks investigated during each Fiscal Year, including the number of outbreaks, pathogens, products, illnesses, and how many outbreaks resulted in a product recall. The annual reports also highlight lessons learned from outbreak after-action reviews. 

  • View Reports

Data Collection

FSIS collects various types of data on the Agency's activities. These data range from counts of regulated federal meat and poultry establishments to information on the total volume of meat and poultry slaughtered in regulated establishments.

These data are routinely summarized into high level reports produced to keep track of national and district level trends. Data also provide information for Agency planning and policy development.

This page contains links to summary reports of these data, as well as links to datasets. FSIS also posts a smaller subset of FSIS and USDA data ondata.gov.

  • Inspection and Enforcement Activity
    • FSIS Recalls
    • FSIS Quarterly Enforcement Report (QER) - QERs summarize the enforcement actions FSIS has taken to ensure that products that reach consumers are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.
    • Humane Handling Quarterly Reports - An overview of humane handling procedures performed by inspection program personnel and information on noncompliance records issued.
  • Domestic Establishments and Import Facilities
    • Meat, Poultry, and Egg Product Inspection Directory
    • Import and Export Data-Volume of Imported and Exported Product
    • List of Foreign Countries Eligible to Import Product into the United States(PDF Only)
    • Meat and Poultry Slaughter Data(USDA-NASS)
  • FSIS Pathogen Verification Data
  • FSIS Baseline Data Reports
  • FSIS National Residue Program

Performance Management and Strategic Data Analysis Planning

Healthy People 2010 and 2020 Initiatives 

The Healthy People Initiative created a set of health objectives for the Nation to achieve over a decade. It can be used by many different people, States, communities, professional organizations, and others to help them develop programs to improve health. The Healthy People 2010 effort built on initiatives pursued over the past two decades. The 1979 Surgeon General's Report, Healthy People, and Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives both established national health objectives and served as the basis for the development of State and community plans.

Like its predecessors, Healthy People 2010 was developed through a broad consultation process, built on the best scientific knowledge and designed to measure programs over time. Food safety is a key component of the Healthy People Initiative, with an entire focus area dedicated to joint USDA, FDA and CDC efforts to reduce foodborne illnesses in the population, such as Salmonella. Recently, goals and objectives for the Healthy People 2020 Initiative were released.

  • Food Safety Focus Area 2020: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=14
  • Food Safety Focus Area 2010: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2010/document/html/volume1/10food.htm
  • Main Healthy People 2020 Website: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/default.aspx
  • Main Healthy People 2010 Website: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2010/

 

Food Safety Working Group Measures 

On March 14, 2009, President Barack Obama announced the creation of a new Food Safety Working Group (FSWG) to advise him on how to upgrade the U.S. food safety system. The Working Group, chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Secretary of Agriculture, recommended a new, public health-focused approach to food safety based on three core principles:

  1. prioritizing prevention;
  2. strengthening surveillance and enforcement; and
  3. improving response and recovery.

FSIS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC have worked jointly to develop food safety metrics based on these three core principles that represent federal food safety activities along the food supply chain using a farm-to-table framework. This framework allows for agencies to demonstrate the need for a coordinated approach to ensure food safety, the identification of data gaps to measure the impact of food safety activities, and helps Agencies like FSIS to target areas in the farm-to-table continuum where more attention is needed.

In the FSIS Strategic Plan for 2011-2016, FSIS identified a number of key performance measures that allow the Agency to assess its performance in a variety of critical areas. These key performance measures are described below.

Percentage of broiler establishments passing the new carcass Salmonella verification testing

Broiler carcasses represent the raw class of food product with the greatest potential to cause exposure of the public to Salmonella. In 2010, FSIS proposed a new performance standard for Salmonella in broiler carcasses based on a recent baseline study. Failure to meet this new standard serves as a proxy for heightened exposure potential to the public. FSIS identifies performance standards for Salmonella in up to eight classes of raw products. These standards are designed to cause industry to control for Salmonella and reduce the potential for human exposure. The best available projection is that 88 percent of establishments will have passed the new performance standard. By 2016, FSIS expects to take steps to increase the number of establishments passing the new standard to 95 percent, thereby further decreasing exposure of the public to Salmonella and contributing to fewer foodborne illnesses.

All Illness Measure

The FSIS All Illness Measure provides an estimate of the total number of Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes foodborne illnesses associated with FSIS regulated meat, poultry, and egg products. This measure was developing using a variety of data sources, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) foodborne illness and outbreak data, as well as the foodborne illness attribution methods described in this section.

Food Defense Measure

FSIS developed a performance measure for food defense with the goal of increasing the number of establishments with a functional food defense plan. Food defense plans are written procedures that establishments should follow to protect the food supply from intentional contamination with chemicals, biological agents, or other harmful substances.

Food defense plans are defined, in part, in FSIS Directive 5420.1 Rev. 6 and further defined in the "Elements of a Food Defense Plan" guidance document.

To be considered functional, a food defense plan must have four elements:

  1. the plan is written;
  2. the facility has measures in place that address inside security, outside security, personnel security, and incident response security;
  3. the food defense measures are periodically tested (e.g., testing locks, conducting periodic perimeter searches); and
  4. the facility has reviewed the plan in the last year.

FSIS considers these plans to be important measures for preventing intentional product adulteration.

The Agency has developed guidance materials to assist in the development of plans and fostering understanding of what constitutes a food defense plan for establishments. This performance metric will be measured via the FSIS Food Defense Plan survey, which is conducted annually and gathers data about industry's voluntary adoption of food defense plans.

Percentage of slaughter plants identified during District Veterinary Medical Specialist (DVMS) humane handling verification visits as having an effective systematic approach to humane handling (all four elements of a systematic approach implemented)

All official livestock slaughter establishments are required to handle and slaughter livestock using humane methods. Establishments need to implement and maintain a systematic approach to humane handling and slaughter to best assure compliance with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. A well-designed and implemented systematic approach to humane handling includes at least four features. These include:

  1. conducting an initial assessment of locations where livestock are handled in connection with slaughter;
  2. designing facilities and ongoing standard 17 FSIS Strategic Plan FY 2011-2016 handling procedures that minimize excitement, discomfort, or accidental injury to livestock;
  3. conducting periodic evaluations of the humane handling methods; and
  4. identifying and implementing corrective measures when necessary.

This performance measure will capture the extent to which industry is implementing a systematic approach to humane handling. The performance measure will also include an Agency assessment as to the effectiveness of these programs in ensuring that all livestock are handled and slaughtered in a humane manner for the entire time that they are at the slaughter establishment.

FSIS established a strategic goal to enhance the development and maintenance of an integrated and robust data collection and analysis system to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of Agency programs. FSIS heavily relies on data to promote proactive decisions affecting food safety and public health. As a result, FSIS has strengthened both its data collection and analysis activities to ensure valid, timely data is collected, carefully analyzed, and continually reported in a user-friendly manner. The reports listed below provide an overview of FSIS' data analysis capabilities, as well as a thorough description of future data analysis efforts, particularly in light of the full implementation of the Public Health Information System (PHIS).


Related Information

A draft Establishment-Specific Data Release Strategic Plan was discussed at the January 2014 meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. Additional materials from this meeting are available.

Related Resources

Food safety journal covers

Journal Publications

FSIS research and findings are published in peer-reviewed journals.
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Import inspector at work

Quarterly Enforcement Reports

Review the enforcement actions FSIS has taken to ensure that consumers have access to safe, wholesome and properly labeled products.
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Woman inspects pork as it goes through processing

Humane Handling Enforcement

Contains official notifications of enforcement actions and restarts when the establishment has demonstrated regulatory compliance.
Learn More
Last Updated: Feb 12, 2021
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