Sanitation - Every part of the meat production premises is inspected for sanitary standards from livestock pens and cages to the water supply, equipment used, sewage disposal, lockers and restrooms.

Antemortem (preslaughter) inspection - On the day of slaughter, all animals are examined and unfit animals are eliminated from the group to be slaughtered. Animals may be deemed unfit it they show any signs of disease or other conditions which would lead their carcasses to be condemned on postmortem inspection.

Postmortem inspection - Carcasses and non-carcass components are inspected under the supervision of a veterinary medical officer. Organs such as lungs, liver, lymph glands, spleens and hearts are inspected for signs of disease which could cause all or part of the carcass to be condemned.

Control and restriction of condemned material - All condemned materials stay in the custody of inspectors until disposed of by approved methods.

Product inspection - Every part of the manufacture of processed meats (such as sausages, canned meat, and cured meat) is carefully inspected. All ingredients and their amounts must be approved, as well as the handling and storage of processed meat products.

Laboratory inspection - The FSIS has several inspection laboratories used to analyze ingredients used in meat products, samples of finished products, and products or tissues suspected of containing unauthorized ingredients or drug residues.

Marking and Labeling - All brands and labels applied to carcasses, processed meat, wholesale cuts, and edible meat by-products must be approved by the FSIS. Inspection labels must contain the common name of the product, the name and address of the meat processor, and a list of ingredients in descending order of their content. Meat products from state inspected plants must also bear state approved labels which have similar requirements to those for federally inspected products.