We all have to eat; it's one of the necessities of life. Thus, the status of the food supply is of great concern to everyone. American consumers spend hundreds of billions of dollars annually on food, so someone has to keep the population relatively assured that they are not purchasing contaminated condiments. Much of this responsibility has fallen into the hands of government. Since the passage of food safety laws in the early 1900s, the federal government along with state and local agencies have overseen the sanitary conditions of the US food industry. Overall, agencies like the FDA have been successful in regulating food production. However, occasional outbreaks of illnesses do occur, so food safety remains an evolving art. This book provides an overview of governmental oversight of the American food industry. The articles give the history behind relevant agencies, legislation and important events. In the unending quest to find good food, such a collection becomes as necessary as eating.