FDA  Milk Safety Program

What is it?

This is cooperative program between FDA, state and local health, and regulatory agencies, to ensure the safety of milk.  FDA assists states in preventing disease transmitted through milk and helps enforce state milk regulations. It promotes and helps ensure compliance with the model Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, a document similar to the Food Code. FDA's regional milk specialists offer seminars to state officials to promote uniformity in interpreting the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, as well as on other issues such as laboratory analysis methods.

How's it done?

FDA regional milk specialists, like their counterparts in retail food and shellfish programs, standardize state officials, after themselves being standardized by FDA headquarters. Milk specialists also track public health problems, such as those caused by bacterial contamination, to assess the impact of state control programs and the effects of FDA's activities on promoting public health.

Find Out More:

• Milk Safety References
• FDA's Cooperative Programs
• FDA Federal-State Relations