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  1. Resources for You (Food)

Industry and Consumer Assistance from CFSAN

Get answers to your questions from the CFSAN Food & Cosmetic Information Center (FCIC)

 

The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, known as CFSAN, provides services to consumers, domestic and foreign industry and other outside groups regarding field programs; agency administrative tasks; scientific analysis and support; and policy, planning and handling of critical issues related to food, dietary supplements, and cosmetics.


To reach us by telephone:
1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366)
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM EST
Closed Thursdays 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM EST

To write us by mail:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Outreach and Information Center
5001 Campus Drive, HFS-009
College Park, MD 20740-3835

Note: Please do not mail products to this address.

Contacting Us About FSMA

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the most sweeping reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years, was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011.

It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.

Learn about How to Contact FDA About FSMA.


Report a Complaint

Frequently Requested Information

Information for Industry

Information for Consumers

Resources from Other Government Agencies


Report a Complaint

How to Report a Problem with Food

  • For all questions or problems related to meat and poultry, please contact USDA.
  • If you are a consumer, health professional, or member of the food industry who wants to voluntarily report a complaint or adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction) related to a food product, you have three choices:
  • If you are a member of the food industry who needs to submit a Reportable Food Registry report when there is a reasonable probability that an article of food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals, please visit the Reportable Food Registry page.

How to Report a Problem with Dietary Supplements

  • If you are a consumer or health professional who wants to voluntarily report defects in the quality or safety of a dietary supplement or an adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction) related to a dietary supplement, please visit the Safety Reporting Portal.
  • If you are an industry member who needs to file a Mandatory Adverse Event Report about a dietary supplement as required by section 761 of the FD&C Act, please visit the Safety Reporting Portal. If you need assistance or have any questions about reporting on dietary supplements, see Dietary Supplements - Reporting an Adverse Event for more information.

How to Report a Problem with Cosmetics

If you are a consumer, health professional, or member of the cosmetics industry who wants to report a complaint or adverse event (such as an illness, allergic reaction, rash, irritation, scarring, or hair loss) related to a cosmetic, you have three choices:

To learn more, see How to Report a Cosmetic Related Complaint.

How to Report Seafood-Related Toxin and Scombrotoxin Fish Poisoning Illnesses

To help FDA effectively investigate, remove unsafe seafood products from the market, and develop new prevention strategies, the FDA relies on illness reporting from public health officials and healthcare providers. While most foodborne outbreaks are tracked through the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) network, seafood-related illnesses caused by natural toxins have a unique reporting mechanism.


Frequently Requested Information

What Does FDA Regulate?

Current Outbreaks

Contact Information for Other FDA Centers and Offices (Drugs, Tobacco, Devices, Biologics, and more)

CFSAN Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS) Database (contains information on adverse event and product complaint reports submitted to FDA for foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetics)


For Consumers

Resources from Other Government Agencies

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Please contact CDC to ask questions about public health.
Toll-free Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) (Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. MT)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-Mail: Contact CDC-INFO

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Consumer & Food Safety Educators
Please contact USDA to ask questions concerning meat and poultry and egg products.
FSIS Virtual Representative available 24/7 at AskKaren.gov (English and Spanish)
USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline: 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)
(Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; recorded messages available 24/7 in
English and Spanish)
E-Mail: Meat and Poultry Hotline

Business & Industry
Please contact USDA to ask questions concerning meat and poultry and egg products.
Policy Development Division
Hotline: 1-800-233-3935 (Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT)
Telephone: 402-344-5000
Fax: 402-344-5005
You may also use AskFSIS to ask inspection/policy questions.
Additional information and support

Department of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Seafood Inspection Program
Please contact the Seafood Inspection Program to ask questions regarding inspection services for fish, shellfish, and fishery products.
Toll–free Telephone: 1-800-422-2750 (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET)
Telephone: 301-427-8300
E-Mail: NOAA Seafood Inspection Program

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

Please contact CPSC for answers to questions regarding consumer products.
Toll-free Consumer Hotline: 1-800-638-2772 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET)
General Information: 301-504-7923 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET)
TTY: 1-800-638-8270, 301-595-7054 (Messages can be left at any time.)
E-Mail: CPSC Information Center

Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Please contact DHS to ask questions or to report incidents.
Toll–free Telephone: 1-877-227-5511
Telephone: 202-325-8000 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET)
TTY: 1-866-880-6582
E-Mail: CBP INFO Center

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

National Pesticide Information Center
Please contact NPIC to ask questions regarding pesticides and pesticide-related topics.
Toll-free Telephone: 1-800-858-7378 (Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. PT;)
Telephone: 541-737-6091
Fax: 541-737-0761
E-Mail: Contact NPIC

Safe Drinking Water Hotline
Please contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline to ask questions regarding drinking water and groundwater programs.
Toll-free Telephone: 1-800-426-4791
(Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET; help is available in English and Spanish.)
E-Mail: Ticket System

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Consumer Response Center
Contact FTC to ask questions regarding fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace.
Toll-free Telephone: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
(Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET)
TTY: 1-866-653-4261
E-Mail: FTC Complaint Assistant

Department of the Interior

Fish and Wildlife Service
Please contact the Fish and Wildlife Service to ask questions regarding the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.
Toll-free Telephone: 1-800-344-WILD (1-800-344-9453)

(Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET; international calls can be made to this number
although they will not necessarily be toll free.)
E-Mail: Office of External Affairs

Department of the Treasury

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Please contact TTB to ask questions regarding alcoholic beverage products in the marketplace. Consumer complaints about misleading advertising of alcoholic beverages can also be made here.

Fraud, Diversion, and Illegal Activity
Tipline: 1-855-TTB-TIPS (1-855-882-8477)
Telephone for the hearing impaired: 202-882-9914
E-Mail: TTB Fraud Hotline

 
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