An important function of food laws is to prevent the production and distribution of adulterated food. In general, adulterated foods are foods that are contaminated or most likely to be contaminated with hazards that will render the food unfit for consumption. There are three types of adulteration. These include economic, aesthetic, and intentional. Economic adulteration occurs when inferior […]
Restaurants in the US are not federally inspected, but fall under the jurisdiction of local health departments. In Ohio, health inspectors, who are called Sanitarians, inspect food service establishments and retail outlets for compliance with the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code. You can find the details of this regulation in the Ohio Administrative Code, sections 3717-1 […]
Are you looking for information about how beef is graded in the US? Read this article to learn the basics, including a summary of how other meats are graded by the USDA. What is Grading? USDA meat and poultry grading is the assignment of a marketing quality standard. It does not indicate safety. If you […]
The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for the inspection of meat that is sold across state lines. Commerce across state lines is also called interstate commerce. The agency is also responsible for inspection of meat that’s sold within the state, or intrastate commerce. However, some states participate in a program called the […]
Dos Be well dressed and groomed Be respectful, polite and professional Be cooperative Be honest Only answer questions that you are qualified to answer Answer only what you are asked Be confident and knowledgeable Accompany the Inspector at all times Have all relevant documents available in a central location for quick and easy retrieval Limit […]
The Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) is responsible for inspection and enforcement of FDA regulations. Inspections are done through its 5 regional divisions and 20 district offices. Procedures for FDA inspections follow guidelines put forth in FDA’s Investigations Operations Manual. The FDA can conduct inspections for “cause” such as complaints, or through its regular surveillance. The inspections are not […]
Facilities falling under USDA’s jurisdiction (meat, poultry and egg processing) are subject to continuous inspection. This means that an Inspector must be present at all times during operation. The USDA’s method of evaluating meat since 1906 was generally organoleptic (sight, smell, touch); a method that continued for 90 years despite calls to modernize how inspection was […]
As food science students you should have a general understanding of the laws governing food production and where those laws come from. The US constitution provides the basic framework for food laws. This framework can be seen in the three branches of government: The Executive The Judicial The Legislative The executive branch is responsible for […]
I think very few of us will disagree that food laws are very important. They are important, particularly to ensure the safety of consumers. In general, food laws are established to protect consumer safety and to ensure best practice in the food industry. In the colonial period, that is, the period before independence, the regulation […]
