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
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Beef Kofta Products Served at The Kebab Shop Restaurant Locations Due to Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contaminationpha
WASHINGTON, May 24, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that beef kofta products served...Raaw Energy Expands Recall of Dog Food Because of Listeria Monocytogenes Health Risk
Raaw Energy is voluntarily notifying the public of a recall involving products produced between 7/17/25 and 12/23/25 due to possible Listeria contamination. Another batch date is 3.31.26 Beef and Turkey Medley. While not all products from this period tested positive, this action is being taken outHometown Food Company Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Egg in Birch Benders 12oz Sweet Potato Pancake Mix
Chicago (May 20, 2026) - Hometown Food Company, in cooperation with Element Food Solutions, today initiated a limited, voluntary recall of a single lot code of its Birch Benders 12oz Sweet Potato Pancake Mix because it may contain undeclared egg. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eFSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Headcheese Deli Meat Products That May Be Contaminated With Listeriapha
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for headcheese that may be contaminated with Listeria...My Wife's Slaw Issues a Voluntary Recall of its Original and Jalapeno Heat Flavored Coleslaw for Being Adulterated
Zanesville, Ohio (May 5, 2026) - My Wife's Slaw is voluntarily recalling its Original and Jalapeno Heat flavored coleslaw sold in 8 oz and 16 oz glass mason jars. The products included in this recall are adulterated because they were produced without the benefit of inspection and the safety paramete
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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.
- 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].
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.
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)