Food and Ag Lab LLC

03/06/2026

Does FSIS Inspect This Poultry Product? 🐔📊

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released a poultry-specific infographic (Constituent Update – February 27, 2026) to help businesses determine whether a product is amenable to FSIS inspection.

🔎 The flow charts walk establishments through:

1️⃣ Species determination
FSIS-inspected poultry species include: chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, ratites, and squabs.
⚠️ Certain species (e.g., pheasant, quail, grouse) fall under FDA jurisdiction.

2️⃣ Formulation thresholds (Figure 1)
Products may be amenable if they contain:
• >3% raw poultry meat
• ≥2% cooked poultry meat
• ≥10% cooked poultry skins, giblets, or fat (alone or combined)

3️⃣ Special categories
Separate flow paths address:
• Bouillon cubes, broths, gravies, sauces, seasonings, and flavorings
• Products labeled as breads, rolls, buns, or certain cheese/dairy formulations
• Closed-face sandwiches and certain dietary supplements/medical foods (non-amenable)

⚠️ This chart is a guidance tool only.

For a definitive amenability determination, submit your:
• Product formula
• Processing procedures

➡️ Through askFSIS:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/contact-us/askfsis

Confirming jurisdiction early helps avoid inspection delays, labeling issues, and compliance risks.

03/04/2026

Does FSIS Inspect This Meat Product? 🥩📊

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released a new infographic (Constituent Update – February 27, 2026) to help businesses determine whether a meat product is amenable to FSIS inspection.

🔎 The flow chart walks establishments through:

• Whether the product contains an amenable species (cattle, swine, sheep, goat, or Siluriformes fish)
• Whether formulation exceeds key thresholds (e.g., >3% raw meat, ≥2% cooked meat, >30% fat, ≥25% broth)
• Whether exemptions apply (e.g., certain closed-face sandwiches, dried meat soup mixes, dietary supplements/medical foods)

⚠️ Note: Game meats such as bison, deer, and elk fall under FDA jurisdiction.

This chart is intended as a guidance tool for determining USDA FSIS jurisdiction.

For a definitive amenability determination, submit your:
• Product formula
• Processing procedures

➡️ Through askFSIS:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/contact-us/askfsis

Understanding jurisdiction early can prevent costly inspection delays, labeling corrections, and regulatory setbacks.

03/03/2026

Ensure compliance and protect your brand with our ISO 17025 accredited solutions.

03/03/2026

U.S. Department of Agriculture vs. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Does FSIS Inspect Your Egg Product? 🥚📊

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released new infographics to help businesses determine whether meat, poultry, or egg products fall under FSIS jurisdiction.

🔍 What the infographic helps clarify
- Whether your egg product is subject to USDA FSIS inspection
- How product source, formulation, and processing affect jurisdiction
- When a product may instead fall under FDA oversight

⚠️ Important note
These charts are guidance tools only. For a definitive amenability determination, FSIS requires review of:
- Product formula
- Processing procedures

➡️ Submit questions or documentation through askFSIS.

📢 Why this matters
Misunderstanding jurisdiction can lead to:
- Inspection delays
- Labeling errors
- Regulatory noncompliance

This update was announced in Constituent Update – February 27, 2026, alongside the release of three new FSIS jurisdiction infographics now available on the USDA Apply for Grant of Inspection webpage.

If you manufacture or formulate egg-containing products, this is a must-read reference to for your compliance team.

03/02/2026

Uncover the inspiring journey of our lab as we celebrate the milestones that have shaped our commitment to food safety. From humble beginnings to becoming an ISO 17025 accredited leader, every step reflects our dedication to excellence in testing services.

02/26/2026

Faster results mean faster decisions.
We support food manufacturers with:

• Local courier pickup for swabs and samples
• Experienced, degreed microbiologists who know your products
• Modern methods for Listeria, Salmonella, E.coli, gluten, shelf life, and pathogen testing
• Clear, reliable turnaround times — no guesswork, no delays

Because when your production depends on clean data, your lab should be built for speed and trust.

02/22/2026

Looking for a local, lightning‑fast, truly trusted partner for Listeria environmental monitoring?
Meet Food and Ag Lab—Central Texas’s ISO/IEC 17025‑accredited microbiology lab helping food brands stay compliant, audit‑ready, and confidently in control of their environment.

We built this lab in the Austin area to solve a real problem: accessible, high‑quality testing without the delays, or shipping risks. Today, we’re proud to support Texas food manufacturers with the accuracy, speed, and reliability they deserve.

Why so many facilities choose us for their Listeria programs: • Routine, high‑volume Listeria environmental monitoring with rapid, validated methods designed for RTE foods, cold rooms, drains, and high‑risk zones.
• Fast, defensible results from an ISO/IEC 17025‑accredited lab—ideal for FDA or USDA inspections, SQF/BRC audits, and internal verification.
• Expert guidance on swab strategy, corrective actions, trending, and program design so you’re not navigating compliance alone.
• Local convenience with easy drop‑off in Cedar Park, reliable shipping options, courier services, and responsive communication from real microbiologists who know your products and processes.

And yes—we do much more than pathogens:
• Texas’s ONLY ISO 17025‑accredited lab for gluten testing (AOAC PTM 061403), supporting gluten‑free claims at 5, 10, and 20 ppm.
• Shelf‑life studies for refrigerated RTE items, salsas, hot sauces, pickles, dressings, and more.
• Comprehensive microbiology including Salmonella, E. coli O157, APC, coliforms, yeast, mold, and routine reliability testing.

Our work has been featured in The Austin Chronicle for “steady, thorough, certified testing” that’s helping Austin’s food scene thrive. Clients—from startups to established CPG brands—consistently praise our speed, clarity, and the peace of mind that comes from having a local expert in their corner.

Choose the Texas‑based team built for accuracy, accessibility, and your success.

📍 Cedar Park, TX
🌐 foodandaglab.com/listeria-environmental

ISO 17025-accredited microbiology lab specializing in food safety and shelf-life. Fast, accurate testing with client-friendly reporting and expert guidance.

02/13/2026

Park Street Farmers Market is gearing up for the season and looking for local vendors. Many of our clients sell at markets across Central Texas, so if you’re adding a new spot—or know a maker who should—this is a great Cedar Park option. Starts March 1st, Sundays 10–2. Contact Hill Country Market Days for details: [email protected]

02/10/2026

Looks like a hit.. turns out it’s food safety science. 🧫 ⚾️

02/03/2026

A quick look at some of the tools we use every single day — pipettes, Petrifilm, serial dilution bottles, and filter pipette tips. Nothing fancy, just the basics that keep our workflow consistent and our results reliable. BehindTheScenesLab

02/03/2026

Phil saw his shadow... and he’s predicting 6 more weeks of Listeria testing. 🐹🔬 Sorry, we don't make the rules. Happy !

01/25/2026

While checking our cameras for overnight weather updates, we spotted a little creature darting by. Any guesses on what it might be?