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About FSRIO
The Food Safety Research Information Office (FSRIO) supports the research community by collecting, organizing, and disseminating food safety information in accordance with the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998.
Explore FSRIO
An Introduction to FSRIO
Mission
The Food Safety Research Information Office (FSRIO) is aligned with the Research, Economics, and Education (REE) mission area of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It was created by the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C.A. & 7654 Sec. 615) and was formally launched on July 2, 2001.
The mission of FSRIO is to provide the research community and the general public with information on publicly funded, and to the maximum extent practicable, privately funded food safety research initiatives.
The purpose of the FSRIO information products is to prevent the unintended duplication of food safety research and to assist the executive and legislative branches of the Federal Government and private research entities with assessing food safety research needs and priorities. FSRIO works in partnership with a working group that consists of scientific experts in food safety across the USDA.
Key Information Products
Food Safety Research Projects Database
The Research Projects Database provides users with information on current food safety research projects from both U.S. and international government and non-government organizations.
Food Safety Research Publications
A digital resource on food science designed to build custom searches and quick links to NAL Search on produce safety research, Salmonella research, and natural toxins.
Funding Opportunity Announcements
- USDA-FSIS Graduate Student Food Safety Fellowship. Application deadline is 8/14/2024.
- U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) grants for scientists, graduate and postdoc fellows.
- ARS student opportunities from usajobs.gov for interns, and those seeking postdoctoral fellowships. Learn about other Temporary and Term positions.
- The HHS, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP) application portal.
- USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Food Safety Outreach Program grants.
- USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Agriculture Risk Management Education (ARME) grants.
What's New
- USDA NIFA funded research at the University of MD lead by Dr. Pradhan and his team use machine learning to analyze the genomes of salmonella, listeria and E.coli from publicly available databases to find genetic indicators. These include specific genes, mutations, or higher or lower levels of gene expression that help them persist in the environment.
- Growers can find county-level temperature changes through a new zone map on the USDA ARS Freeze Date Tool.
- Dairy producers can enroll in the USDA 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage Service.
- The USDA Economics, Statistics and Market Information System (ESMIS)’s World Agricultural Production database includes "monthly reports on crop acreage, yield and production in major countries worldwide."
- The USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023-2026: Cultivating Scientific Innovation [PDF, 48 pages] presents a near-term vision for transforming U.S. agriculture through science and innovation, and outlines USDA’s highest scientific priorities.
News
May Flower International Inc., Issue Allergy Alert on Undeclared Wheat in "Beijing Soybean Paste"
May Flower International Inc of Maspeth, NY, is recalling its 8.82-ounce/250g packages of "Beijing Soybean Paste" food treats because they may contain undeclared wheat. People who have allergies to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.T.W. Garner Food Company Issues Recall on Texas Pete® Habanero Buffalo Sauce Due To Potential Presence of Undeclared Sulfites and Sweet CHAbanero Sweet Sriracha Habanero Sauce Due To Mislabeling
April 3, 2025 - T.W. Garner Food Company is recalling select lots and sizes (see below table) of Texas Pete® Habanero Buffalo Sauce because bottles may contain Sriracha Sauce. The Sriracha Sauce contains sulfites which are not declared on the label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity tT.W. Garner Food Company Issues Recall on Texas Pete® Habanero Buffalo Sauce Due To Potential Presence of Undeclared Sulfites and Sweet CHAbanero Sweet Sriracha Habanero Sauce Due To Mislabeling
April 3, 2025 - T.W. Garner Food Company is recalling select lots and sizes (see below table) of Texas Pete® Habanero Buffalo Sauce because bottles may contain Sriracha Sauce. The Sriracha Sauce contains sulfites which are not declared on the label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity tWalker's Wine Juice LLC Recalls Product Due to Possible Health Risk
Walker's Wine Juice LLC of Forestville, NY is recalling its pumpkin juice because it may be contaminated with Botulism. Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning and can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision, and trouble with speaking or swallowing. DCromer Food Services, Inc. Recalls Chicken Salad on White Sandwich Due to Undeclared Milk Allergen
Cromer Food Services, Inc. is recalling all lots of our CFS Cromer Food Service brand Chicken Salad on White Sandwich with UPC 31166 & UPC 13172 because it contains undeclared milk.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are there software tools for predictive microbiology?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) manages the Predictive Microbiology Information Portal (PMIP) [ars.usda.gov] to assist food companies in the use of predictive models. This portal contains:
- The Pathogen Modeling Program (PMP) [ars.usda.gov] a package of models that predicts the growth and inactivation of foodborne bacteria under variable environmental conditions.
- The ComBase [ars.usda.gov], a database of quantitative microbiological or kinetic data collected from different laboratories.
Where can I find safe food preparation, handling, and storage information?
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) maintains the Kitchen Companion [PDF, 50 pages] and the Food Safety Basics resources [fsis.usda.gov].
- North Dakota State University (NDSU) has a Food Storage Guide [PDF, 16 pages] available online.
- Food Marketing Institute maintains the FoodKeeper [fmi.org] application with helpful hints about food preparation, handling, and storage.
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) maintains a website that focuses on canning and other means of preservation [nchfp.uga.edu].
How will biosensor technology be used to make our food supply safer?
Biosensor technology is used for the rapid detection of pathogens in our food supply. Please visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's New Era of Smarter Food Safety [fda.gov] resource for more information.
How do I contact a food safety representative at the federal, state, and local level?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are the United States government agencies that regulate food safety.
- USDA
- FDA
- CDC
- EPA
Contact Us
Use the National Agricultural Library's Ask a Question form.
Questions are answered by FSRIO Technical Information Specialists with expertise in food safety.
Phone: (301)504-5022
Sign Up
To sign up for the ARS Food Safety and News Listserv go to USDA Agricultural Research Service (govdelivery.com)