What is the primary duty of FSIS inspection program personnel stationed along the slaughter line?

• A. Carcass-by-carcass inspections
• B. Quality control auditing
• C. Record keeping
• D. Equipment maintenance

Answer: (A)

The main task for inspectors along the slaughter line is to perform carcass-by-carcass inspections to determine wholesomeness. As each carcass passes, they look for signs of disease, contamination, or other adulteration and take action to prevent unsafe product from moving forward. This per-carcass evaluation is the primary function because it directly ensures that only safe, properly inspected meat leaves the plant. Other duties like quality control auditing, record keeping, or equipment maintenance exist in the process, but they are not the core responsibility of line inspectors; their essential role is the on-the-spot assessment of each carcass to uphold safety standards.