food safety and inspection service

When purchasing food, many consumers look for information on where the food came from and how it was produced. No antibiotics, cage-free, and grass-fed are a few marketing claims consumers find on protein-based food packaging. To provide assurance to customers of the validity of these and other claims, producers often enlist the services of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

You can’t help but see school supplies everywhere if you’ve been shopping during the last few weeks. Alongside purchasing new backpacks and notebooks, it’s essential to also stock up on lunchbox essentials that will keep your child’s homemade lunches safe: insulated soft-sided lunch bags, two cold sources and insulated containers for hot foods.

Throwing a celebratory BBQ gathering this Fourth of July does not have to be stressful when it comes to the menu and food safety. As you prepare to welcome a large gathering of family and friends, keep these core food safety practices in mind:

World Food Safety Day is June 7 and USDA is committed to doing our part to collaborate with federal and state partners and engage in vital conversations with food safety experts, consumer organizations, industry, and academia to ensure safe food for all.

It’s officially pool season! Meals at the pool come in many forms – ordered from the snack bar, delivered from local restaurants, packed from home, or carried outside from the kitchen. Follow these food safety steps to keep splashing all summer long!

It’s a special time of year as we welcome spring and celebrate several holidays. Many families and communities will be celebrating with their Easter, Eid, and Passover traditions. Whether you’re celebrating your Easter dinner with ham, Eid lunch with lamb, or Seder meal with brisket, remember to keep food safety at the forefront.

When it comes to food safety during the big game, you can’t just wing it. Chicken wings are one of the most popular foods to eat during the Super Bowl, and USDA has some tips to keep foodborne illness from intercepting your Super Bowl Sunday.

Pineapple on pizza is up for debate, but food safety is not. When including pizza in your Super Bowl party, make sure food safety is included in the toppings.

Here’s an important Thanksgiving food safety tip that will surprise many: USDA doesn’t recommend stuffing a whole turkey. The practice increases the risk of cross-contamination and takes the turkey longer to cook. Cook stuffing separately instead.

The busiest time of the year for USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline is the week before Thanksgiving. Calls, chats and emails are answered by food safety specialists who even work on Thanksgiving Day to ensure your meal is safe.