An Overview on Meat Safety in the United States

Meat and poultry are the major sources of protein in the human diets for many countries, especially in the west. In the United States, the majority of the population like and prefer meat and poultry. In view of this, the federal government exercises tight control over their commerce, in terms of safety and economic fraud. After 9/11, food defense against terrorisms, including meat and poultry, became the third priority consideration in relation to the food industry. Before we discuss the safety system for meat and poultry in commerce, we will provide a list of abbreviations of U.S. government agencies that are used in this book’s remaining chapters:

CFR: Code of Federal Regulations, https://www.gpoaccess.gov

DOL: Department of Labor, https://www.dol.gov

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov

41.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................701 41.1.1 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................701 41.1.2 Premises .......................................................................................................................... 702

41.2 Current Laws, Regulations, and Jurisdiction .............................................................................. 703 41.3 Product Categories ...................................................................................................................... 704 41.4 Hazards ....................................................................................................................................... 704

41.4.1 Biological Hazards.......................................................................................................... 704 41.4.2 Chemical Hazards .......................................................................................................... 706

41.4.2.1 Food Allergens as Food Safety Hazards ........................................................ 706 41.4.3 Physical Hazards ..............................................................................................................710 41.4.4 Speci‘c Risk Materials ....................................................................................................710