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  1. Human Foods Program

Office of Laboratory Operations & Applied Science

Office of Laboratory Operations & Applied Science

Ensuring that food is a vehicle for wellness is the vision of the FDA’s Human Foods Program (HFP).  It is our mission to protect and promote the health and wellness of people through science-based approaches to prevent foodborne illness, reduce diet-related chronic disease and ensure chemicals in food are safe. 

The Office of Laboratory Operations and Applied Science (OLOAS) supports this mission by providing technical support and expert advice to national and international scientific and standard-setting organizations in support of the HFP’s food safety and nutrition responsibilities.

OLOAS serves as a model of excellence for robust laboratory science, safety, and security best practices and ensures that FDA laboratories and workplaces are operated in a safe and secure manner to protect employees, the surrounding communities, and the environment.

This office comprises:

  • Office of Regulatory Testing & Surveillance
  • Office of Applied Microbiology & Technology
  • Office of Chemistry & Toxicology
  • Office of Scientific Coordination & Computational Sciences  

 What We Do 

  • Conduct regulatory testing and surveillance in support of the HFP and the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
  • Coordinate and execute, for the HFP, a laboratory science and data science program focused on analytical chemistry, microbiology, and biology in support of method development, validation, and implementation for regulatory analysis.
  • Develop methods and gather data to support risk assessment for the development of guidance, regulations, and policy, and inform work prioritization for the HFP.
  • Provide support to the national food safety toxicological program with scientific expertise and toxicological evaluations.
  • Provide expertise and necessary laboratory support to the national food defense program.
  • Collaborate with the FDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist on regulatory testing, applied research priorities, and regulatory science activities.
  • Coordinate the HFP’s scientific program with Federal, State, International and academic partners (Centers of Excellence) to ensure HFP scientific needs are fully met.
  • Provide technical support and expert advice on HFP scientific issues that impact policy, regulations, compliance, and enforcement.
  • Provide technical support and expert advice to national and international scientific and standard-setting organizations in support of the HFP’s food safety and nutrition responsibilities.

Contact Us 

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