Food Safety and Inspection Regulations

The federal government regulates food safety and inspection for some food. These rules apply to both the production and sale of food. Businesses must follow City, State, and Federal regulations at the same time.

Rules come from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Businesses that make or sell food at wholesale must follow these rules. Those businesses need inspection and certification from the FDA and/or the USDA. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) certifies some things too. The following lists summarize which products need which certification.

At the federal level, the FDA regulates over 80% of the food supply, including seafood, dairy and produce. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), regulates meat, poultry and processed egg products.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets also regulates food safety.

The FDA regulates:

• eggs (in shell) and egg processing
• exotic meat and non-domesticated birds
• Produce, dairy and processed foods and juice
• Fish, seafood, and shellfish
• Products with 3% or less raw meat, 2% or less cooked meat, 30% or less fat, tallow, or meat extract, 10% or less cooked poultry skins and other parts
• closed-face sandwiches.

The USDA regulates:

• Egg products (dried, frozen, or liquid)
• Meat from domesticated animals
• Raw fruits and vegetables
• farmed catfish
• Products with 3% or more raw meat, 2% or more cooked meat, or 30% or more fat, tallow, or meat extract
• Open-faced sandwiches.

The NOAA regulates the grading of fish and seafood.

Businesses managing the following food products must follow HACCP or GMP protocols:

• Managed by the FDA: Products containing less than 3% raw meat
• Managed by the USDA: Products containing more than 3% raw meat, farmed catfish, meat from domesticated animals, and egg products (with some exceptions)

These protocols or practices vary depending on the agency. Click the following link for more information on HACCP and GMP.