National Food Safety Programs

Overview

• FDA Food Protection Plan
  The U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration presents a robust strategy to protect the nation's food supply from both unintentional and deliberate attack.
• FDA/CFSAN Constituent Updates
• Healthy People 2010 Focus Area 10 Food Safety
  • Healthy People 2010: Progress Review December 2007
  • Healthy People 2010: Volume I (second edition)
    Focus Area 10: Food Safety Progress Review
    • Challenges, Barriers, Strategies and Opportunities May 11, 2004
    • Food Safety Education Examples May 11, 2004
    • Food Safety Data Presentation and Data Tables
• FDA Commissioner Speech at the Canada National Food Safety Summit June 8, 2005
• Report to Congress: Testing for Rapid Detection of Adulteration of Food October 2003
• HHS Creates Food Security Research Program, Increases Import Exams More than Five Times to Protect Nation's Food Supply; Progress Report Details Ongoing Efforts to Enhance the Nation's Food Security July 23, 2003
  • Progress Report to Secretary Tommy G. Thompson: Ensuring the Safety and Security of the Nation's Food Supply July 23, 2003
  • Backgrounder: Ensuring the Safety and Security of the Nation's Food Supply, Progress Report to Secretary Tommy G. Thompson July 23, 2003
• Food Safety Policy at USDA: The Road from an Ambitious Vision to Tangible Results August 10, 2004
• Enhancing Public Health: Strategies for the Future - 2003 FSIS Food Safety Vision July 2003
• Food Safety Survey: Summary of Major Trends in Food Handling Practices and Consumption of Potentially Risky Foods August 2002
• CDC Food Safety Activities
• CVM Food Safety Initiative Activities
• ERS Food Safety Activities
• FSIS Food Safety Mission and Activities
• FDA Food Defense and Terrorism
• FSIS Food Defense and Emergency Preparedness
• Electronic Information Networks
• U.S. Food Safety System Country Report, March 2000
  • US Food Safety System
  • Precaution in US Food Safety Decisionmaking
• Additional background information on the National Food Safety Initiative (1997-2002)

Produce and Import Safety

Sprouts | Produce Action Plan | Juices | Produce Surveys | Imported Foods

• Sprouts
  • Public Meeting: 2005 Sprout Safety - Transcript of Proceedings May 17, 2005
  • Growing Sprouts in Retail Food Establishments, CFP Issues 02-III-01 and 04-III-012 December 2004
  • Safer Processing of Sprouts Video Order Form, December 2003
  • Note to Firms That Grow, Condition, Store, or Distribute Seed for Sprouting and to Firms that Produce, Pack, or Ship Fresh Sprouts August 19, 2004
  • Consumers in Oregon Area Advised of Risks Associated with Raw Sprouts November 26, 2003
  • FDA Issues Guidance to Enhance Safety of Sprouts October 25, 1999
  • Consumers Advised of Risks Associated with Raw Sprouts July 9, 1999
  • Microbiological Safety Evaluations and Recommendations on Sprouted Seeds May 28, 1999
• Produce Action Plan
  • Produce Safety From Production To Consumption: 2004 Action Plan To Minimize Foodborne Illness Associated With Fresh Produce Consumption October 2004
  • Produce Safety From Production To Consumption: A Proposed Action Plan To Minimize Foodborne Illness Associated With Fresh Produce Consumption June 18, 2004
    • Public Meeting on Produce Action Plan June 29, 2004 Federal Register June 15, 2004
• Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-cut Fruits and Vegetables February 2008
• Final Guidance: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (also available in PDF) October 26, 1998
  (also available in Español and Français and Português)
  • Federal Register Notice October 29, 1998
  • The Guide at a Glance May 1999
• Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines
  • Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Melon Supply Chain November 7, 2005
  • Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Fresh Tomato Supply Chain May 2006
  • Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Lettuce and Leafy Greens Supply Chain April 25, 2006
• Tomato Safety Initiative June 12, 2007
  • Tomato Safety Initiative Continues in 2008 March 31, 2008
• Leafy Greens Safety Initiative - 2^nd Year October 4, 2007
• Lettuce Safety Initiative August 23, 2006
• Safe Handling of Raw Produce and Fresh-Squeezed Fruit and Vegetable Juices November 2005
• Letter To California Firms that Grow, Pack, Process, or Ship Fresh and Fresh-cut Lettuce November 4, 2005
• Letter To Firms that Grow, Pack, or Ship Fresh Lettuce and Fresh Tomatoes February 5, 2004
• FDA's Produce Safety Activities February/March 2002
• Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce
  • FDA Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce - Domestic Produce Assignment (DFP # 05-20) August 3, 2005
  • FDA Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce - FY 2000/2001 Field Assignment January 2003
    With Supplemental Information from the FY2001 Follow-up Survey of Imported Fresh Produce
  • Domestic Produce Sampling Assignment - DOEP #00-16 May 2000
  • Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce:
    • Interim Results as of June 30, 2001
    • Interim Results as of July 31, 2001
  • Constituent Briefing - Domestic Produce Sampling Survey Enforcement Plan July 28, 2000
  • Constituent Briefing - Domestic Produce Sampling Survey August 10, 2000
  • Constituent Briefing - Domestic Produce Sampling Survey May 19, 2000
• Survey of Imported Fresh Produce
  • FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce - Import Produce Assignment (DFP # 05-16) March 18, 2005
  • FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce - FY 2001 Field Assignment January 18, 2001 (DOEP # 01-07)
  • FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce - FY 1999 Field Assignment (Survey results - January 30, 2001)
    • FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce, November 1, 1999 (REVISED Imported Produce Assignment - FY 99 DOEP # 99-4)
• Guide to Produce Farm Investigations (including the farm investigation questionnaire) May 2006
• FDA's Role in Traceback Investigations for Produce January 2001
• Fruit and Vegetable Juices
  • Food Facts: Talking About Juice Safety - What You Need to Know (also available in Spanish) June 2006
  • Safe Handling of Raw Produce and Fresh-Squeezed Fruit and Vegetable Juices November 2005
  • Safer Processing of Juice Video Order Form, November 2004
  • Guidance for Industry: Exemptions from the Warning Label Requirement for Juice - Recommendations for Effectively Achieving a 5-Log Reduction Final Guidance, October 7, 2002
  • Untreated Juice May Pose Health Risk to Children November 1, 2001
  • FDA Publishes Final Rule to Increase Safety of Fruit and Vegetable Juices January 18, 2001
    • HACCP Procedures for the Safe and Sanitary Processing and Importing of Juice: Final Rule Federal Register, January 19, 2001
  • Labeling of Juices, Final Rule July 8, 1998
  • Critical Controls for Juice Safety September 1998
  • What Consumers Need to Know About Juice Safety (also available in PDF) September 1998
  • Additional background information on fruit and vegetable juices (1996-1999)
• Imported Foods
  • See Survey of Imported Fresh Produce above
  • CFSAN Imports and Exports
• Additional background information on the Produce and Import Safety Initiative (1997-2001)

Surveillance

• FoodNet CDC/USDA/FDA
  • Salmonella and Campylobacter Illnesses on the Decline
  • CDC Information on the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet)
    • FoodNet Publications
• PulseNet: National Computer Network to Combat Foodborne Illness
  • The National Molecular Subtyping Network for Foodborne Disease Surveillance
  • White House Press Release May 22, 1998
  • HHS Press Release May 22, 1998

Inspections and Compliance

• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
  • FDA Activities Seafood, Land Foods, & Retail
  • FSIS HACCP and Pathogen Reduction Meat & Poultry
• Inspection Programs
  • CFSAN Inspections, Compliance, Enforcements and Recalls
  • FSIS Federal Inspection Programs

Product & Pathogen Specific Initiatives

• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
  • USDA and FDA Strengthen Safeguards Against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy July 9, 2004
    • "Dear Colleague" letter July 9, 2004
    • Fact Sheet about FDA's New Interim Final Rule and Proposed Rule on Prohibited Cattle Materials in Food and Cosmetics July 9, 2004
      • Interim Final Rule: Use of Materials Derived From Cattle in Human Food and Cosmetics July 14, 2004
      • Proposed Rule on Recordkeeping Requirements for Human Food and Cosmetics Manufactured From, Processed With, or Otherwise Containing Material From Cattle July 14, 2004
    • Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking July 14, 2004
    • Commonly Asked Questions About BSE in Products Regulated by FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) September 14, 2005
    • FDA and USDA Request Comments and Scientific Information on Possible New BSE Safeguards July 9, 2004
    • An Evaluation of the Risk of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease from Exposure to Cattle-Derived Protein Used in Cosmetics July 14, 2004
      • Federal Register Notice of Availability July 14, 2004
  • FDA's BSE page
  • USDA's BSE Information and Resources
• Egg Safety
  • FDA Proposes In-Lid Labeling for Eggs May 4, 2005
    • Proposed Rule - Food Labeling: Safe Handling Statements: Labeling of Shell Eggs May 5, 2005
  • Enjoying Homemade Ice Cream without the Risk of Salmonella Infection August 2004
  • Homemade Ice Cream: A Safe Summertime Treat? July/August 2004
  • What Consumers Need to Know About Avian Influenza Updated October 2006
  • FDA Finalizes Safe Handling Labels and Refrigeration Requirements for Marketing Shell Eggs November 30, 2000
    • Guidance for Industry: Food Labeling - Safe Handling Statements, Labeling of Shell Eggs; Refrigeration of Shell Eggs Held for Retail Distribution; Small Entity Compliance Guide July 2001
    • Food Labeling, Safe Handling Statements, Labeling of Shell Eggs; Refrigeration of Shell Eggs Held for Retail Distribution; Final Rule December 5, 2000
  • Egg Safety Action Plan
    • Domestic Outreach Public Meetings on Proposed Rule for Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production - October 28, November 9, November 16 October 7, 2004
      • Meeting Transcript: November 16, 2004 Meeting - Proposed Rule for Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production
      • Meeting Transcript: November 9, 2004 Meeting - Proposed Rule for Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production
      • Meeting Transcript: October 28, 2004 Meeting - Proposed Rule for Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production
      • Meeting Presentation: National Surveillance for Salmonella Enteritidis cases and Outbreaks (CDC)
      • Meeting Presentation: FDA's Proposed Rule for Prevention of Shell Eggs During Production
    • FDA Proposes Further Action to Improve Farm-to-Table Shell Egg Safety September 20, 2004
      • Proposed Rule Federal Register, September 22, 2004
        • Reopening of Comment Period May 10, 2005
        • Extension of Comment Period to July 25, 2005 June 8, 2005
      • Fact Sheet on FDA's Proposed Regulation: Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production September 20, 2004
      • Detection of Salmonella in Environmental Samples from Poultry Houses September 2004
    • Additional Background Information on Eggs and the Egg Safety Action Plan (1998-2000)
  • Food Safety Facts for Consumers: Playing It Safe with Eggs (also available in PDF)
  • Food Service Safety Facts: Assuring the Safety of Eggs and Menu and Deli Items Made from Raw, Shell Eggs. (also available in PDF) April 2002
    • Poster: Key Temperatures for Egg Safety in Food Service Operations and Retail Stores (also available in PDF) April 2002
  • Focus On Shell Eggs
  • FSIS Egg Safety Activities
  • US Egg Safety Action Plan April-May 2000
  • Additional background information on Egg Safety (1998-2000)
• Listeria monocytogenes
  • Questions and Answers: Draft Guidances for Listeria Monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Foods March 7, 2008
  • Current FDA Activities Related to the Listeria monocytogenes Action Plan February 7, 2008
  • Draft Guidance for Industry: Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Refrigerated or Frozen Ready-To-Eat Foods February 7, 2008
  • Draft Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 555.320 - Listeria monocytogenes February 7, 2008
    • Public Meeting: Draft Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 555.320 Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-eat (RTE) Foods; March 28, 2008
  • Risk Assessment Reinforces That Keeping Ready-To-Eat Foods Cold May be the Key to Reducing Listeriosis October 21, 2003
    • Quantitative Assessment of the Relative Risk to Public Health from Foodborne Listeria monocytogenes Among Selected Categories of Ready-to-Eat Foods September 2003
    • Listeria monocytogenes Risk Assessment Questions and Answers October 21, 2003
    • Reducing the Risk of Listeria monocytogenes; FDA/CDC 2003 Update of the Listeria Action Plan November 2003
  • Ready-to-Eat, Refrigerated Foods; Reducing the Risks of Foodborne Listeria July 2005
  • Consumer Advisory: How to Safely Handle Refrigerated Ready-to-Eat Foods and Avoid Listseriosis March 2001
  • Listeria monocytogenes Fact Sheets (FSIS)
  • President Announces Aggressive Food Safety Strategy to Combat Listeria in Hot Dogs and Other Ready-To-Eat Foods May 6, 2000
    • Radio Address by the President to the Nation May 6, 2000

Coordination

• FORC-G: Foodborne Outbreak Response Coordinating Group
  • Outbreak Response and Coordination for Federal and State Agencies During Multi-State Foodborne Illness Outbreaks December 2000
  • USDA/HHS Talk Paper May 22, 1998
  • Memorandum of Understanding May 1998
• Integrated National Food Safety System
  • National Food Safety System Update January 28, 2000
  • National Federal-State Food Safety Conference, February 23, 1999
    • Remarks by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman
    • Remarks by Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala
  • Federal-State Meeting Summary: "Meeting Challenges Together", Phase II December 8-11, 1998
  • Federal-State Meeting Summary: "Meeting Challenges Together" September 15-17, 1998
• FDA Federal/State Food Programs
  • Milk Safety
  • Retail Food Protection including Food Code
  • Seafood Safety

Education

• Food Safety for Moms-To-Be August 2005
• Vibrio vulnificus Health Education Kit March 2004
• Preventing Listeriosis In Pregnant Hispanic Women in the U.S. (also available in Spanish) January 2006
• Thinking Globally - Working Locally: A Conference on Food Safety Education (September 18-20, 2002)
  Proceedings and Presentations
• Fight BAC Education Campaign Partnership for Food Safety Education
• National Food Safety Education Month - September
• Food Safety Education (FSIS)
• Electronic Information Networks (including EdNet)
• Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
• Grassroots Food Safety Education May 25, 2000
• International Outreach
  • Food Safety: Current and Emerging Issues Influencing Public Health and Trade September 17-26, 2002 in Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary
  • Food Safety Progress Report - Food Safety Outreach August 2001
  • Food Safety Initiatives Influencing Public Health and Trade August 29-30, 2001 in Singapore, Singapore
  • Central American Training Program May 21, 2001
  • Outreach to Africa June 2001
  • Food Safety Initiatives Influencing Public Health and Trade August 15-16, 2000 in Auckland, New Zealand
  • International Food Safety Information Sharings June 22, 2000
  • First Mexico-U.S. Food Safety Research Conference May 2-3, 2000 in Mexico City, Mexico
• For Physicians: A Foodborne Illness Primer
• Lose a Million Bacteria: The Game
• Food Science Curriculum for Middle and High School Students
• Seniors and Food Safety
• Food Safety Materials for Kids & Educators
• Food Safety Progress Report - Education August 2001
• USDA/FDA Education Initiative: Evaluating the Placement of Food Safety Education in American Schools May 1998
• FDA and National Science Teachers Association Sponsor Food Science Program August 2000
• Additional background information on Education (1997-1999)

Research

• FSIS Science
• Innovative Food Safety Projects: Availability of Grants; Request for Applications May 21, 2001
• Food Safety Research: Availability of Cooperative Agreements; Request for Applications May 21, 2001
• Food Safety Research Information Office (NAL)
• FDA/CFSAN Priority Research Needs August 28, 2000
• FDA/CFSAN Three-Year Research Plan: 2000-2002 Update May 2001
• Research Studies on Egg and Produce Safety, Development of Viral Extraction Methods from Foods, and Food Service, Transportation and Consumer Practices April 27, 2000
• JIFSAN: Joint Program Pools Food Research Resource FDA Consumer, Jan-Feb 2000
• FDA/CVM: Research on Food Safety
• Food Safety Progress Report - Research and Risk Assessment August 2001
• Additional background information on Research (1998-1999)

Risk Assessment

• Quantitative Risk Assessment on the Public Health Impact of Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Raw Oysters July 19, 2005
• Risk Assessment Reinforces That Keeping Ready-To-Eat Foods Cold May be the Key to Reducing Listeriosis October 21, 2003
  • Quantitative Assessment of the Relative Risk to Public Health from Foodborne Listeria monocytogenes Among Selected Categories of Ready-to-Eat Foods September 2003
  • Listeria monocytogenes Risk Assessment Questions and Answers October 21, 2003
  • Reducing the Risk of Listeria monocytogenes; FDA/CDC 2003 Update of the Listeria Action Plan November 2003
• Risk Assessment for Food Terrorism and Other Food Safety Concerns October 7, 2003
• Initiation and Conduct of All 'Major' Risk Assessments within a Risk Analysis Framework - A Report by the CFSAN Risk Analysis Working Group, March 2002
• Microbial Risk Assessment: Achievements and Future Challenges December 2001 - January 2002
• Risk Assessment for Foodborne Hazards (ERS)
• FDA Announces Availability Of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Risk Assessment January 18, 2001
  • Draft Risk Assessment on the Public Health Impact of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Raw Molluscan Shellfish
• Food Safety Research Information Office (NAL)
• FoodRisk.org The Online Resource for Food Safety Risk Analysis (JIFSAN)
• Risk Assessments (FSIS)
• Predicting human dose-response relationships from multiple biological models: Issues with Cryptosporidium parvum - Risk Assessment Consortium public meeting, September 28, 2000
• Structure and Initial Data Survey for the Risk Assessment of the Public Health Impact of Foodborne Listeria monocytogenes May 1999
• Additional background information on Risk Assessment

Selected Federal Government Sources of Food Safety Information

• Food and Drug Administration
  • Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
    • Bad Bug Book Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins
    • FDA 2005 Food Code
  • Center for Veterinary Medicine
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Food Safety Office
  • National Center for Infectious Diseases
  • Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal: Special Issue on Foodborne Hazards
  • Foodborne Outbreak Response and Surveillance Unit
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
  • Food Safety and Inspection Service
  • Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service
  • Economic Research Service
  • Food and Nutrition Information Center
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Office of Pesticide Programs
  • Office of Water
• Gateway to Goverment Food Safety Information
  • www.FoodSafety.gov