Which agency would conduct inspections in all establishments that handle cultured livestock and poultry cells to ensure products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled?

• A. FSIS
• B. FDA
• C. CDC
• D. EPA

Answer: (A)

FSIS, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, is the agency charged with inspecting all facilities that slaughter, process, package, and label meat, poultry, and egg products to ensure they are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled. When cultured livestock or poultry cells are used to produce a meat or poultry product, the final product falls under these same regulatory obligations, so inspections would occur throughout the processing establishments handling those cells—checking sanitation, the effectiveness of HACCP plans, and that labeling and packaging meet federal requirements. The FDA oversees foods that aren’t meat or poultry and the ingredients used in non-meat products, while the CDC focuses on disease surveillance and outbreak response, and the EPA handles environmental protection. That combination makes FSIS the appropriate agency for inspections of establishments dealing with cultured meat/poultry products to assure safety, wholesomeness, and accurate labeling.