The Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit is part of the Agricultural Research Service, one of the Research, Economics and Education agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture. Our primary mission is to perform and publish scientific research in the public interest on a broad range of agricultural and food products and research problems. The unit employs a diverse assembly of specialists and measurement technologies to solve the most demanding agricultural and food quality measurement problems that are of interest because of health, food safety, environmental or trade and economic concerns. We would be happy to provide bibliographies and/or reprints of our published work. We are always looking for new research challenges, so we encourage you to contact us. Besides publication, we can offer a variety of mechanisms for technology transfer to companies or organizations.

QSARU unit personnel is currently comprised of 9 scientists, 5 administrative and technical personnel, and 6 student assistants. Although the name QSARU was established in 2007, the research unit's historical roots go back more than 25 years at the South Atlantic Area location.

Our facility at the Russell Research Center has extensive research capabilities and is located in Athens, Georgia on the University of Georgia research park. The building also houses the South Atlantic Area administrative office of ARS, and laboratories of the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Southeast Poultry Research Lab is in our immediate vicinity.