Food Safety:
Inspection of Domestic and Imported Meat Should Be Risk-Based
T-RCED-93-10: Published: Feb 18, 1993. Publicly Released: Feb 18, 1993.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) inspection of domestic and imported meat, focusing on: (1) changes in inspection procedures for Canadian meat; (2) whether those changes adequately responded to identified problems; and (3) microbiological testing conducted on domestic and imported meat products. GAO noted that: (1) FSIS has improved Canadian meat inspection by documenting the equivalency of the U.S. and Canadian inspection systems, controlling sample selection, aligning U.S. and Canadian sampling criteria and methodology, eliminating advance notification of inspection to Canadian producers, and establishing control over Canadian meat products before inspection at inland locations; (2) there was no external, independent assessment by scientific and public health experts of the FSIS equivalency determination process; (3) inspectors relied on a product's look, smell, and feel to detect contamination, but did not test for microbial pathogens in either domestic or imported meats; (4) FSIS did not require meat plants to have microbiological testing programs, although some plants have established voluntary programs; and (5) FSIS has developed strategies for reducing meat contamination by hiring more inspectors for the short term, and revamping the entire inspection system.
Oct 2, 2020
Combating Wildlife Trafficking:
Agencies Work to Address Human Rights Abuse Allegations in Overseas Conservation ProgramsGAO-21-139R: Published: Oct 2, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 2, 2020.
Sep 22, 2020
-
Cyber Diplomacy:
State Has Not Involved Relevant Federal Agencies in the Development of Its Plan to Establish the Cyberspace Security and Emerging Technologies BureauGAO-20-607R: Published: Sep 22, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 22, 2020.
Sep 15, 2020
-
Steel and Aluminum Tariffs:
Commerce Should Improve Its Exclusion Request Process and Economic Impact ReviewsGAO-20-517: Published: Sep 15, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 15, 2020.
Sep 14, 2020
-
Conflict Minerals:
Actions Needed to Assess Progress Addressing Armed Groups' Exploitation of MineralsGAO-20-595: Published: Sep 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 14, 2020.
Aug 27, 2020
-
Export-Import Bank:
Status of End-Use Monitoring of Dual-Use Exports as of August 2020GAO-20-688R: Published: Aug 27, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 27, 2020.
Jul 28, 2020
-
Climate Change:
USAID Is Taking Steps to Increase Projects' Resilience, but Could Improve Reporting of Adaptation FundingGAO-20-555: Published: Jul 28, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 28, 2020.
Jun 18, 2020
-
Forced Labor:
Better Communication Could Improve Trade Enforcement Efforts Related to SeafoodGAO-20-441: Published: Jun 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 18, 2020.
Jun 9, 2020
-
Rule of Law Assistance:
Agency Efforts Are Guided by Various Strategies, and Overseas Missions Should Ensure that Programming Is Fully CoordinatedGAO-20-393: Published: Jun 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 9, 2020.
May 12, 2020
-
Asistencia de Los Estados Unidos a México:
El Departamento de Estado podría mejorar su monitoreo de los proyectos de la Iniciativa MéridaGAO-20-563SP: Published: May 12, 2020. Publicly Released: May 12, 2020. -
Export Controls:
State and Commerce Should Improve Guidance and Outreach to Address University-Specific Compliance IssuesGAO-20-394: Published: May 12, 2020. Publicly Released: May 12, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here
Explore our Key Issues on International Affairs
Explore our other Key Issues here
