Regulatory Organization Guide

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Oversees:

Food Safety Role: Enforces food safety laws governing domestic and imported food, except meat and poultry, by:

For More Information:

Consumers:
FDA Headquarters
Office of Consumer Affairs
HFE-88
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Regional FDA offices, listed in the blue pages of the phone book under U.S. Government
Media inquiries: 202-205-4144
Consumers:
FDA's Food Information and Seafood Hotline
1-800-FDA-4010 (1-800-332-4010),
202-205-4314 in the Washington, D.C., area

Websites: FDA, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, Center for Veterinary Medicine


U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

Oversees:

Food Safety Role: Enforces food safety laws governing domestic and imported meat and poultry products by:

For More Information:

FSIS Food Safety Education and Communications Staff
Room 1175, South Building,
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
Media inquiries: 202-720-9113
Consumers:
The Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-800-535-4555
(In Washington, D.C., area, call 202-720-3333.)
TDD/TTY: 1-800-256-7072

Websites: USDA, FSIS


National Agricultural Library
USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center

Oversees: All foods

Food Safety Role:

For More Information:

USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center
Food and Nutrition Information Center
National Agricultural Library/USDA
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
301-504-5719

Website: NAL


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Oversees: All foods

Food Safety Role:

*Also, HHS's National Institutes of Health conduct food safety research.

For More Information:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30333
Media inquiries: 404-639-3286
General public: 404-639-3311

Website: CDC


Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

Oversees: All domestic foods, some imported

Food Safety Role: With U.S. colleges and universities, develops research and education programs on food safety for farmers and consumers

*Also, a number of other USDA agencies conduct food safety activities.

For More Information: Local cooperative extension services, listed in the blue pages of the phone book under county government

Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington, DC 20250-0900
202-720-3029

Website: REEUSDA


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Oversees: Drinking water

Food Safety Role: Foods made from plants, seafood, meat and poultry

For More Information:

Environmental Protection Agency
401 M St., S.W.
Washington, DC 20460
202-260-2090
Regional EPA offices, listed in the blue pages of the phone book under U.S. Government

Website: EPA


U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Oversees: Fish and seafood products

Food Safety Role: Through its fee-for-service Seafood Inspection Program, inspects and certifies fishing vessels, seafood processing plants, and retail facilities for federal sanitation standards

For More Information:

Seafood Inspection Program
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
1-800-422-2750

Website: NMFS


U.S. Department of the Treasury
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

Oversees: Alcoholic beverages except wine beverages containing less than 7 percent alcohol

Food Safety Role:

For More Information:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
Market Compliance Branch
650 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Room 5200
Washington, DC 20226
202-927-8130

Website: ATF


U.S. Customs Service

Oversees: Imported foods

Food Safety Role: Works with federal regulatory agencies to ensure that all goods entering and exiting the United States do so according to U.S. laws and regulations

For More Information:

U.S. Customs Service
P.O. Box 7407
Washington, DC 20044
Media inquiries: 202-927-1770
General public: Contact local ports of entry, listed in the blue pages of the phone book under U.S. Government, Customs Services

Website: Customs


U.S. Department of Justice

Oversees: All foods

Food Safety Role:

For More Information: U.S. attorneys' offices in blue pages of phone book under U.S. Government

Website: DOJ


Federal Trade Commission

Oversees: All foods

Food Safety Role: Enforces a variety of laws that protect consumers from unfair, deceptive or fraudulent practices, including deceptive and unsubstantiated advertising.

For More Information:

FTC (Federal Trade Commission)
Consumer Response Center, CRC-240
Washington, DC 20580
Media inquiries: 202-326-2180
TDD: 202-326-2502
Consumers: 202-FTC-HELP
(202-382-4357)

Website: FTC