Food safety and food defense are important aspects of the USDA nutrition assistance programs. The Office of Food Safety coordinates these efforts within all these programs. On this website, you will find information on food safety and food defense from the Office of Food Safety as well as links to FNS’ food safety partners.
Food Safety
FNS Food Safety Announcements, Publications, and Regulations
- The Food Allergy Book: What School Employees Need to Know
- Alergias a los alimentos: lo que personal de la escuela
- USDA Announces Food Safety Initiatives for School Lunch and Other Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs (02/04/10)
- Creating Your School Food Defense Plan (pdf)
- Creating Your School Food Defense Plan (doc)
- Guidelines for Inventory Management and Tracking
- Employee Health and Personal Hygiene for Child Nutrition Professionals
- Food Safe Schools Action Guide
- Serving It Safe, 3rd Edition
- Food safety provisions of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 - Questions and Answers
- Guidance for School Food Authorities – Developing a School Food Safety Program Based on the Process Approach to HACCP Principles
- Salvaging Food after a Flood
- Reopening Your School Kitchen after a Flood
- The Stomach Bug Book: What School Employees Need to Know
- Food Allergy Podcasts and Webinars
- Best Practices: Handling Fresh Produce in Schools
- Workshop Proceedings: Produce Safety in Schools
- Emergency Readiness Plan: A Guide to Forms for School Foodservice Operations
- Biosecurity Checklist
- Biosecurity Video for Schools
- FNS Food Defense Training
- Analyses of the eFORS (Electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System) Surveillance Data in School Settings
School Food Service Inspection Reports
Schools are required to obtain two school food safety inspections per school year. State Agencies (SAs) that administer the school meal programs are required to report the number of inspections obtained by their schools.