What US Federal Meat Inspection Act: Mandatory Inspection, Adulteration, Labeling and Prohibited Acts requires
The Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), codified at 21 U.S.C. Chapter 12 (sections 601-695), is the principal US statute ensuring that meat and meat food products are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled and packaged, administered by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Section 601 supplies the definitions, including 'adulterated' and 'misbranded'. Sections 603-605 require ante-mortem inspection of cattle, sheep, swine, goats and equines before slaughter and post-mortem inspection of their carcasses and parts at establishments preparing products for commerce, and section 606 requires inspection of meat food products. Section 607 governs the marking, labeling and packaging of inspected products, and section 608 requires sanitary conditions at establishments. Section 610 sets the prohibited acts: it is unlawful to slaughter animals or prepare articles capable of use as human food except in compliance with the Act; to fail to handle animals humanely in connection with slaughter as required by the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act; to sell, transport or distribute adulterated or misbranded articles capable of use as human food, or uninspected articles required to be inspected; and to perform any act, while articles are in commerce or held for sale, intended to or having the effect of causing them to be adulterated or misbranded. Section 620 regulates the importation of meat products, which must meet standards at least equal to US requirements. Section 642 imposes recordkeeping duties and section 644 requires registration of certain businesses. Section 676 sets the penalties, including fines and imprisonment, with enhanced penalties where there is intent to defraud or distribution of adulterated articles. The Act is implemented by FSIS regulations in 9 CFR.
Pillar: Agriculture & Agritech · Authority: US Congress / USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) · Version: 1.0.0 · Last updated:
Primary source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2022-title21/html/USCODE-2022-title21-chap12.htm
SHA-256 integrity: 53f57cecc479be949565a70f6f618dca116954aebe31af73e5604d78a24dabb7
Primary Citations — 8 traced to source
- Federal Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 601 - definitions, including 'adulterated' and 'misbranded'.
- Federal Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 603 - ante-mortem inspection of livestock before slaughter.
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