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Food Safety Regulation

Food safety regulation is the set of laws, inspections, and standards meant to keep food from causing illness. This topic covers how food facilities are inspected, how recalls and outbreaks are handled, and how problems with food are reported. The Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state and local health departments each have a role.

People usually ask who inspects food, what happens when food is recalled, and how to report a problem with something they ate or bought. Questions also cover how rules apply to animal drugs, imports, and processing plants.

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October 5last updated

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All Articles on Food Safety Regulation

Behind the FDA’s Work to Inspect Food Facilities

FDA food inspections examine facilities, preventive controls and corrective action. Public records show findings, while oversight exposes gaps in follow-up.

24 Min Read

Animal Drug and Food Safety

The health of your family dog, the safety of the nation's milk and meat supply, and the development of life-saving medicines for backyard chickens…

41 Min Read

Reporting Food Problems to the Government

When you bite into a sandwich and find a piece of glass, or when your family gets sick after eating contaminated produce, your report…

24 Min Read