About FDA
How do the activities of USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service differ from the activities of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition?
The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation's commercial supply of meat (excluding game meats, such as venison), poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.
FDA is the federal agency that is responsible for overseeing most of the U.S. food supply. FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety and security of our nation’s food supply; this is a vital part of FDA's mission and a primary task of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). Under the leadership of FDA’s Office of Foods, CFSAN, the Center for Veterinary Medicine, and the foods-related portion of the Office of Regulatory Affairs carry out the agency's unified food program that protects and promotes the public health through the following activities:
- ensuring the safety of foods for humans, including food additives and dietary supplements, by setting science-based standards for preventing foodborne illness and ensuring compliance with these standards
- ensuring the safety of animal feed and the safety and effectiveness of animal drugs, including the safety of drug residues in human food derived from animals
- protecting the food and feed supply from intentional contamination
- ensuring that food labels are truthful and contain reliable information consumers can use to choose healthy diets
- Does FDA have a definition for the term "organic" on food labels?
- Did you know that a store can sell food past the expiration date?
- What should I do if I have a serious reaction (side effect) to a dietary supplement?
- What refined Stevia preparations have been evaluated by FDA to be used as a sweetener?
- What is the meaning of 'natural' on the label of food?
- What do consumers need to know about the recall of shell eggs?
- If a food is labeled "organic" according to the USDA, is it still subject to the laws and regulations enforced by FDA?
- Is Stevia an 'FDA approved' sweetener?
- How do I report a complaint about restaurant food?
- How do I report a complaint about food bought in a supermarket?
- FDA Basics Webinar: Food Emergency Response Network (FERN)
- FDA Basics Webinar - Using a Food Label to Make Smart Food Choices
- FDA Basics Video: Michael R. Taylor on Food Safety and Nutrition
- Are foods made with "organic" ingredients safer than those made with ingredients from other sources?
- How do the activities of USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service differ from the activities of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition?
- Who makes sure the food I buy at the grocery store is safe to eat?
- Does FDA approve the color additives used in food? If so, how does FDA determine their safety?
- How does FDA recommend washing fruits and vegetables?
- How long can I keep my food in the refrigerator/on the shelf?
- Does FDA have any other food safety materials?
- Does FDA inspect grocery stores, restaurants, or dollar stores?
- Which foods should I stay away from during pregnancy?
- Has Stevia been approved by FDA to be used as a sweetener?
- Why isn't the amount of caffeine a product contains required on a food label?
- How long can food that is supposed to be refrigerated stay outside of the refrigerator and still be safe to eat?
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