Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for the safety and security of most of our nation’s food supply; it also oversees the safety and efficacy of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products, medical devices, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and devices that emit radiation.

The FDA enforces federal laws regarding food shipped in interstate commerce, and food exported from or imported into the United States, by regulating its production, manufacture, processing, packaging, labeling, and distribution. The exceptions are meat, poultry, and some egg products, which are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

After briefly providing background information on the emergence and development of the FDA, this entry discusses several ...