Where’s the Beef? USDA App Serves Up Inspection Information

Want to know where the food you’re eating was produced? Here’s a handy trick before you head out to the grocery store: Download the Meat, Poultry & Egg Product Inspection Directory (MPI Directory) app produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

All containers of meat, poultry and egg products must be labeled with a USDA mark of inspection and establishment number, which is assigned to the plant where the product was produced.

When you get to the supermarket, try the app out. Look at that carton of eggs for the inspection number, and type that number in the app’s search feature.

This may be your next mobile app addiction.

The MPI Directory app, available for Android and iOS devices, provides 24/7 access to information on regulated establishments that produce meat, poultry, and egg products, as regulated by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. App users can look up or search establishments by location or zip code, type of inspection, establishment name or number and type of establishment.

After an initial download of the app’s directory upon launching the app, no Internet connection is required for further use. This is an especially useful feature when network coverage is spotty, such as in rural areas or in thick-walled underground city grocery store garages.

Trust me, an app that tells you where the food you’re about to eat was produced is hard to put down. You may very well find yourself prepping for your next food run with this app in those rural areas or thick-walled underground city grocery store garages with no Internet connection.You can download this and other cool mobile government apps with just a few clicks from our USA.gov Apps Gallery. Kevin Downey is the Web Content Manager, in the Office of Public Affairs, at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).