Food Safety and Inspection Service

Food Safety and Inspection Service or FSIS is a government agency that helps make sure that the meat, poultry, and egg products we eat are safe for us to eat. It’s like having a group of superhero inspectors who look for hidden dangers in our food – dangers that we can’t see with our eyes.

The people at FSIS work in big buildings called processing plants, where animals are turned into foods like hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and eggs. They make sure that the animals that come into the plants are healthy, and that they are treated nicely. After that, they check the food to make sure it’s cooked in a way that won’t make us sick.

Imagine you are making cookies with your mom. Your mom checks the ingredients to make sure everything is safe to eat. She also looks for dust or any little critters on the countertops or mixing bowls that could make you sick. FSIS does the same thing, but with way more people and equipment!

After the food is checked, FSIS gives the processing plant a gold star if it did a good job. The plants that don’t do a good job get a little extra attention from FSIS to make sure they make some changes, so that the food we eat will always be safe.

So, the next time you eat a cheeseburger or a chicken nugget, remember that behind the scenes, FSIS inspectors are working hard to help make sure the food you eat is safe for you and everyone else.