Transparency
About the data
A plain-language explanation of what WhoMadeMyFood is, where the information comes from, and what these pages can and cannot tell you.
What is WhoMadeMyFood?
WhoMadeMyFood helps people look up the USDA-regulated establishment connected to a meat, poultry, or egg product package mark and see official public records linked to that facility. It is an independent information service, not a government website and not a food-safety rating service.
Where does the information come from?
The site uses published USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) datasets: the Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory, official FSIS recall notices, FSIS Raw Beef Product Sampling for the fiscal years already imported, and Livestock Humane Handling and Poultry Good Commercial Practices inspection tasks for the fiscal quarters already imported. It also imports FDA food enforcement recall records from openFDA. WhoMadeMyFood does not invent those records. FDA and USDA FSIS records stay labeled by source authority and are not merged because names look similar.
What is an establishment number?
An establishment number is the official USDA mark used on many inspected meat, poultry, and egg product packages. It may appear as EST, or with a grant letter such as M, P, G, I, or V. The number identifies a federally inspected establishment. It does not by itself prove which exact product on a shelf was made there.
How do you connect records?
WhoMadeMyFood creates one canonical establishment for each facility in the imported FSIS directory, then links other official records only when an establishment number matches that facility with high confidence. Names and similar-looking products are not used to merge plants or invent brand-to-plant links.
What does verified or supported mean?
Verified means The relationship or fact is directly supported by strong authoritative evidence appropriate to that claim. Supported by source data means Evidence supports the relationship or fact, but it does not meet the project's highest verification standard. The two labels are not interchangeable.
Why might data be incomplete?
A plant page shows only the official records WhoMadeMyFood has imported and confidently matched. Some source records stay unmatched. Historical directory snapshots are not complete. Sampling and inspection coverage is limited to the specific files already imported. Absence of a section does not mean FSIS never collected a record for that plant.
How fresh is the data?
Each dataset is a snapshot of what FSIS published at a particular time. Plant pages may show a source snapshot date for the directory. Sampling and inspection sections list the imported fiscal years and quarters that are actually linked to that plant. The newest snapshot WhoMadeMyFood has imported is not automatically the current real-world status.
Can this tell me whether a plant is safe?
WhoMadeMyFood does not publish safety scores, compliance scores, plant rankings, or safe/unsafe labels. Public records are shown with their original context. A recall, sample result, or Noncompliance Record is a specific official fact, not a grade for the facility.
What is a product page?
A product page is a historical identity derived from official USDA FSIS recall records. It is not a current retail catalog, current manufacturer listing, UPC identity, or safety rating. A recall mention does not prove that the product is still made or sold.
How do I report a possible error?
Use the corrections page to see what information is useful and how reports are reviewed. Official government source data can itself contain historical or inconsistent information. WhoMadeMyFood does not silently rewrite an official source fact.
Related pages: methodology, data sources, and corrections.