Final answer:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the authority that regulates and inspects meat, poultry, and eggs in the United States, ensuring food safety, effective production, and proper labeling of these products.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the primary authority that enforces laws to ensure the purity, effectiveness, and truthful labeling of food, which includes meat, poultry, and eggs.
The FDA's role is to conduct inspections on the production and shipment of these products to make sure they meet safety standards.
This was established following the passing of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, which came as a response to public concerns about the safety and sanitation of consumer products, particularly as highlighted by Upton Sinclair's report on the meatpacking industry.
The FDA works in conjunction with other federal agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly for meat and poultry regulation and inspection, to maintain strict rules of hygiene and production protocols.
These agencies also ensure traceability of food items to their origin, which is crucial during foodborne disease outbreak investigations.
Furthermore, the oversight extends to other areas, including the regulation of biological products, as mandated by the 1902 Biologics Control Act and the 1944 Public Health Service Act, support of public health initiatives, and enforcement of various other health-related laws and regulations.