Food Safety
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Section administers state laws, rules, and regulations for retail food stores and manufacturing firms processing and storing food products in Tennessee. Our primary goal is to protect the health and economic welfare of our citizens. The Department of Agriculture does not license or inspect restaurants, which are under the jurisdiction of the Tennessee Department of Health.
Complaints
To register a complaint about a prepackaged food product manufactured outside of Tennessee and purchased at a retail food store, call the U.S. Food and Drug Administration toll-free at 1-866-289-3399.
For complaints about a food item manufactured in Tennessee, you can fill out this form and email it to Complaints.Food@tn.gov or fax it to (615) 837-5335.
Consumer and Industry Services Food Safety Section: (615) 837-5193
- Certificate of Free Sale: Certificate.Freesale@tn.gov
- Food Complaints: Complaints.Food@tn.gov
- Food Inspection: Food.Inspection@tn.gov
- New Food Business: NewFood.Business@tn.gov
- Produce Safety: Produce.Safety@tn.gov
- Requests for Inspection: Requests.Food@tn.gov
- Retail Food Variance: RetailFood.Variance@tn.gov
Mailing Address
Food Safety, Consumer and Industry Services
Ellington Agricultural Center
P.O. Box 40627
Nashville, TN 37204
Shipping Address
Food Safety, Consumer and Industry Services
Ellington Agricultural Center, Porter Building
436 Hogan Road
Nashville, TN 37220