U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

What It Is

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal agency that protects public health by overseeing the safety of most of the nation's food, along with drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and tobacco products. The FDA oversees about 80 percent of the U.S. food supply, including fruits and vegetables, seafood, dairy products, packaged foods, bottled water, and pet food. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service oversees most meat, poultry, and processed egg products. The FDA's food work includes inspecting facilities, testing food, investigating outbreaks, screening imported foods, and writing and enforcing food safety rules. In 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) became law, shifting the nation's focus from responding to foodborne illness after it happens to preventing it in the first place.

Why It Matters

The FDA is one of the most important public health agencies in the United States. For students interested in food safety careers, it shows the range of roles available: field investigators who visit food facilities, laboratory scientists who test for contamination, epidemiologists who help investigate outbreaks, regulatory specialists who write and enforce rules, and leaders who shape food safety policy for the whole country. The agency also offers internship and fellowship opportunities for students and early-career professionals. Understanding the FDA's role helps young people see that food safety is not one job. It is a whole network of professionals working together to protect public health.