FSIS Security

Guidelines for Food

Processors

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Food Safety 

and Inspection

Service
❏ A food security management team and a food security

management coordinator should be identified for each plant

or company. Each member should be assigned clear

responsibilities.

❏ A food security plan using established risk management

principles should be developed and implemented. The plan

should include procedures for handling threats and actual

cases of product tampering and an evacuation plan for each

facility.

❏ Corrective action taken in all cases of product tampering

should ensure that adulterated or potentially injurious

products do not enter commerce.

❏ The plan should include the immediate recall of adulterated

products from trade and consumer channels. Safe handling

and disposal of products contaminated with chemical or

biological agents should also be included in the plan.

Dear Establishment Owner/Operator:

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has prepared the

enclosed, FSIS Security Guidelines for Food Processors, to assist Federal and

State inspected plants that produce meat, poultry and egg products in

identifying ways to strengthen their biosecurity protection. FSIS recognizes that inspected plants may also be aware of, and are adopting, guidelines from other government and private sector organizations and agencies. However, businesses or plants that do not have access to specialized

security-planning advice should find these guidelines particularly useful as

they develop and improve their food security plans.

These guidelines were developed to meet the particular needs of meat,

poultry and egg processing plants and to be easily understood and readily

adaptable by plant officials. While the guidelines are voluntary and plants

may choose to adopt measures suggested by many different sources, it is

vital that all food businesses take steps to ensure the security of their operations.

FSIS intends to provide these guidelines to our field employees who

will assist in directing plants that seek further clarification or advice.

However, inspectors will not mandate adoption of any guideline.

FSIS intends to continue working to enhance guidance to businesses

engaged in the production and distribution of USDA-regulated food and

to work with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies to

provide guidance for transportation, storage and handling. Guidelines for

inspected establishments are a first step, but we recognize the need for

protections from the farm to the consumer’s table. We invite your comments as we work to strengthen these steps. Homeland Security for our

food and agricultural sector requires a commitment by all parties--Federal,

State, local and private. We trust that these guidelines will be useful in giving specific focus to the commitment that we all share.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact our Technical

Service Center at 1-800-233-3935.

Sincerely,

Linda Swacina

Assistant Administrator for Staff Services

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Food Security Plan Management 
❏ Plant boundaries should be secured to prevent unauthorized

entry. “No Trespassing” signs should be posted.

❏ Integrity of the plant perimeter should be monitored for signs

of suspicious activity or unauthorized entry.

❏ Outside lighting should be sufficient to allow detection of

unusual activities.

❏ All access points into the establishment should be secured by

guards, alarms, cameras or other security hardware, consistent

with national and local fire and safety codes.

❏ Emergency exits should be alarmed and have self-locking

doors that can be opened only from the inside.

❏ Doors, windows, roof openings, vent openings, trailer bodies,

railcars and bulk storage tanks should be secured (e.g., locks,

seals, sensors) at all times.

❏ A relationship should be established with appropriate analytical laboratories for possible assistance in the investigation of

product-tampering cases.

❏ Procedures for notifying appropriate law enforcement and

public health officials when a food security threat is received,

or when evidence of actual product tampering is observed,

should be detailed in the plan.

❏ Specially designated entry points for emergency personnel

should be identified in the plan.

❏ Current local, State and Federal Government Homeland

Security contacts and public health officials should be listed in

the plan. This list should be updated regularly.

❏ Members of the food security management team should be

trained in all provisions of the plan. Drills should be conducted periodically. The plan should be periodically reviewed

and revised as needed.

❏ Food security inspections of the facility should be conducted

regularly by plant officials to verify key provisions of the plan.

❏ All employees should be encouraged to report any sign of

possible product tampering or break in the food security system. Consider implementing an award system or establishing

performance standards related to food security consciousness.

❏ All threats and incidents of intentional product tampering

should be immediately investigated and reported to the local

law enforcement officials and the FSIS/State Inspector inCharge.

❏ Liaison with local Homeland Security officials and other law

enforcement officials should be pre-established by the food

security management team.

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Outside Security
General Inside Security

❏ Restricted areas inside the plant should be clearly marked and

secured.

❏ Access to central controls for airflow, water systems, electricity

and gas should be restricted and controlled.

❏ Updated plant layout schematics should be available at

strategic and secured locations in the plant.

❏ Airflow systems should include a provision for immediate

isolation of contaminated areas or rooms.

❏ Emergency alert systems should be fully operational and

tested, and locations of controls should be clearly marked.

❏ Access to in-plant laboratory facilities should be strictly controlled. Comprehensive and validated security and disposal

procedures should be in place, particularly for the control of

reagents, hazardous materials and live cultures of pathogenic

bacteria.

❏ Outside storage tanks for hazardous materials and potable

water supply should be protected from, and monitored for,

unauthorized access.

❏ An updated list of plant personnel with open or restricted

access to the establishment should be maintained at the security office.

❏ Entry into establishments should be controlled by requiring

positive identification (e.g., picture IDs, sign-in and sign-out

at security or reception, etc.).

❏ Incoming and outgoing vehicles (both private and commercial) should be inspected for unusual cargo or activity.

❏ Parking areas for visitors or guests should be situated at a safe

distance from the main facility. Vehicles of authorized

visitors, guests and employees should be clearly marked

(placards, decals, etc.).

❏ Truck deliveries should be verified against a roster of scheduled deliveries. Unscheduled deliveries should be held outside

the plant premises, if possible, pending verification of shipper

and cargo.

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Inside Security
❏ Accurate inventory of finished products should be maintained

to allow detection of unexplained additions to or withdrawals

from existing stock.

❏ Access to product production or holding areas should be

restricted to plant employees and FSIS inspection personnel

only.

❏ Plants should use a system that ensures clear identification of

personnel to their specific functions (e.g., colored garb).

❏ An updated daily or shift roster of plant personnel should be

maintained and distributed to plant supervisors.

❏ Visitors, guests and other non-plant employees (contractors,

salespeople, truck drivers, etc.) should be restricted to nonproduct areas unless accompanied by an authorized plant representative.

❏ Computer data systems should be protected using passwords,

network firewalls and effective and current virus detection

systems.

Slaughter and Processing Security

❏ Procedures should be in place to monitor the operation of

pieces of equipment (blenders, choppers, poultry chill tanks,

etc.) to prevent product tampering.

❏ A program should be in place to ensure the timely identification, segregation and security of all products involved in the

event of deliberate product contamination.

❏ A validated procedure should be in place to ensure the traceback and trace-forward of all raw materials and finished

products.

❏ Projected and actual use of restricted ingredients should be

verified at the end of each day, preferably by someone other

than the employee who logs the ingredient.

❏ Returned goods should be examined for evidence of possible

tampering before salvage or use in rework. Records should be

kept on the use of all returned goods in rework.

❏ The integrity of packaging materials of all spices and restricted ingredients (including premixes prepared in the plant)

should be verified before use.

6 7
❏ All outgoing shipments should be sealed with tamper-proof,

numbered seals that are included on the shipping documents.

❏ Establishments should require that incoming shipments be

sealed with tamper-proof, numbered seals, and that the seal

numbers be shown on the shipping documents for verification prior to entry to the plant.

❏ Shipping documents with suspicious alterations should be

thoroughly investigated.

❏ All trailers on the premises should be locked and sealed when

not being loaded or unloaded.

❏ A policy for off-hour deliveries should be established to

ensure prior notice of such deliveries and require the presence

of an authorized individual to verify and receive the shipment.

❏ Packaging integrity of all incoming shipments should be

Storage Security examined at the receiving dock for evidence of tampering.

❏ Controlled access should be maintained for all product and

ingredient storage areas. An access log may be maintained.

❏ Security inspection of all storage facilities (including temporary storage vehicles) should be performed regularly, and the

results logged.

❏ A daily inventory of hazardous chemicals or other products

should be made, and all discrepancies should be investigated

immediately.

❏ Hazardous chemical storage areas or rooms should be secured

and isolated from other parts of the plant. In addition, they

should be constructed and safely vented in accordance with

national or local building codes.

8 9

Shipping and Receiving Security 
❏ Outside access to wells, potable water tanks and ice-making

equipment should be secured from unauthorized entry.

❏ In-plant ice-making equipment and ice storage facilities

should have controlled access.

❏ Potable and non-potable water lines in food processing areas

should be inspected periodically for possible tampering.

❏ The plant should arrange for immediate notification by local

health officials in the event the potability of the public water

supply is compromised.

❏ Mail handling activity should be done in a separate room or

facility, away from in-plant food production/processing

operations, if possible.

❏ Mail handlers should be trained to recognize and handle

suspicious pieces of mail using U.S. Post Office guidelines.

❏ Advance notification (by phone, e-mail, fax) should be

required from suppliers for all incoming deliveries.

Notification should include pertinent details about the shipment, including the name of the driver.

❏ The FSIS Inspector-in-Charge should be notified immediately

when animals with unusual behavior and symptoms are

received at the plant.

❏ Loading docks should be secured to avoid unverified or unauthorized deliveries.

❏ The integrity of food security measures should be a significant

consideration in the selection of suppliers of meat and nonmeat ingredients, compressed gas, packaging materials and

labels.

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Mail Handling Security

Water and Ice Supply Security
In the event of a biosecurity-related emergency, first contact your

local law-enforcement authority.

If you have questions or need clarification about the guidelines,

contact the FSIS Technical Service Center at: 1-800-233-3935.

For additional copies of the guidelines, go to:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its

programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion,

age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who

require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,

large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil

Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is

an equal opportunity provider and employer.

April 2002

❏ A system of positive identification/recognition of all plant

employees should be in place.

❏ Procedures should be established for controlled entry of

employees into the plant during both working and

non-working hours.

❏ New hires (seasonal, temporary, permanent, and contract

workers) should be subjected to background checks before

hiring.

❏ Orientation training on security procedures should be given

to all plant employees.

❏ The plant should establish and enforce a policy on what personal items may and may not be allowed inside the plant and

within production areas.

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Personnel Security