Last month, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reissued seven directives relating to FSIS surveillance, investigation and enforcement activities. The directives are available at: http://bit.ly/FSIS0414directives.
Together, these directives provide a comprehensive set of instructions to FSIS investigators and other personnel for conducting surveillance activities and investigations to determine a regulated entity’s compliance with the Inspection Acts and related laws. The directives instruct investigators on how to collect evidence, such as accessing establishment records, taking photographs, collecting investigative samples, and interviewing and taking statements from subjects and witnesses. The directives also provide instructions for determining appropriate enforcement actions for alleged violations of the acts.