FDA Reader
Simplifying Food Regulation

FDA Reader

FDA Reader: Simplifying Food Regulation

FDA or USDA Jurisdiction?

What You Need to Know:

  • The USDA regulates the production of meat, poultry and egg products. USDA-regulated businesses are required to have a USDA inspector onsite at all times.

  • The FDA regulates the production of everything else (non-meat foods, unusual meats, and fish products). No inspector is required onsite during production.

  • A business that conducts activities falling under both umbrellas is regulated by both agencies.

  • Food produced and sold in a retail environment (i.e. restaurant, deli) is not typically regulated by either the USDA or the FDA.

How to determine food business jurisdiction: Start with USDA. If you can’t positively identify how it falls under USDA jurisdiction, then it’s regulated by the FDA.

Determining USDA Jurisdiction

The USDA typically regulates the following business types:

  • Slaughterhouses

  • Meat Processors*

  • Poultry Processors*

  • Egg Processors

  • Food processors whose products contain meat*

Food products with the following characteristics are regulated by the USDA.

  • Contains >2% cooked meat

  • Contains >3% raw meat

  • Contains >2% cooked poultry meat

  • Contains >10% cooked poultry skins

*For more detail, see the tables below


Examples of Business Regulation

Business Description of Operations Federal Jurisdiction
Meat Product Processor Producer of frozen meat pies, bone broth, steak delivered via mail USDA
Poultry Product Processor Poultry processor USDA
"Egg Product" Processor Producers dried, frozen, or liquid eggs USDA
Egg processing plant Egg washing, sorting, packing FDA
Slaughterhouse Slaughter and processing of carcasses for sale. *Slaughter for personal consumption is not regulated by the USDA USDA
Commissary for retail outlets A commissary produces deli meats to sell at multiple delis, all owned by the same company. Products are shipped ready-to-eat. FDA
Restaurants and retail establishments Retail establishment that sells meat to typical consumers in retail quantities. Not typically regulated by the federal government
:

Examples of Food Product Regulation

Misc Products Regulator
Spaghetti Sauce (2% meat) FDA
Sliced Egg sandwich (closed face) FDA
Shrimp flavored instant noodles FDA
Venison Jerky FDA
Closed Face Sandwiches FDA
Open face sandwiches USDA
Pork Sandwich (open faced) USDA
Corndogs USDA
Frozen Beef pot pie USDA
:
Meat Products Regulator
Cow USDA
Sheep USDA
Pig USDA
Horse USDA
Mules USDA
Goat USDA
Domesticated Birds (chicken, turkey, ducks, geese, guineas, geese) USDA
Wild Birds FDA
Rabbit FDA
Bison FDA
Game animals FDA
Deer, Elk, Moose FDA
Zoo animals FDA
:
Egg Related Products Regulator
Dried Eggs USDA
Frozen Eggs USDA
Liquid Eggs USDA
Egg Substitutes FDA
Dried Custard Mixes FDA
Egg Nog Recipes FDA
Egg Noodles FDA
Milk and Egg Dip FDA
Cake Mixes FDA
French toast Sandwiches Containing Egg FDA
Products containing egg FDA
:

FAQ

What does the USDA inspector do?

The USDA inspector inspects:

  • Slaughtered animals to confirm they were healthy

  • Sanitation conditions of a plant

  • Operations to confirm that they align with the firm’s HACCP plan

  • Product is correctly labeled and packaged to be transported

What it FSIS?

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the inspection arm of the USDA. So if you see the term FSIS, think USDA.

 
 

This article applies to you if…

∆ You are unsure whether your product is regulated by the FDA or the USDA.

References

USDA Inspection Requirements Overview

USDA Inspection Requirements Overview

FDA vs. USDA Jurisdiction Guide

FDA vs. USDA Jurisdiction Guide


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