What is the primary role of the FDA?

The primary role of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is to regulate food products and ensure their safety, especially regarding foods transported across state lines. This includes overseeing the quality, safety, and labeling of food products, including both domestic and imported items. The FDA plays a crucial role in protecting public health by setting standards and conducting inspections related to the food supply, but its authority is particularly focused on regulating interstate commerce. This means that any food product that is transported between states falls under its jurisdiction.

While the FDA is involved in research related to food and agricultural practices, such activities are part of a broader mission that includes regulation rather than being its primary role. The inspection of individual food service operations is typically the responsibility of state or local health departments, not the FDA. Furthermore, managing local health departments does not fall within the FDA's scope of functions; such management is handled at the state or local government levels. Thus, the focus on the regulation of food transported across state lines accurately reflects the FDA's established responsibilities.