A database of food products in the United States is being rebuilt to accommodate the growing demand for new food.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday that it will begin processing new orders of the food and beverage food safety and nutrition data and health information products.
The food database will include the following new product categories:•Coffee and tea products•Fresh fruits and vegetables•Honey and tea•Beer, wine, and spirits•Meat and poultry products•Vegetables and meat products•Protein and dairy products•Meat products with added sugars•Sausage and meat.
The database will be updated weekly and will be fully integrated into FDA’s website and mobile app by the end of 2018.
FDA says the database will help to inform decisions about how to make food safer and more nutritious.
The FDA will also allow consumers to request product safety information for foods that contain genetically modified ingredients.
“We are excited to bring our food safety database to life by expanding the product and nutrition information available on the FDA.
This database is an important tool for consumers and food safety professionals in helping them make informed choices when it comes to food and nutrition,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Nancy Quintana said in a statement.
The FDA also plans to use this database to improve the quality of foods sold and for other food safety purposes.
It will also be used to analyze the data for trends, and the database may be used by food and ingredient suppliers.FDA’s Food Safety Database will help consumers make healthier choices about foods and beverages by:•Creating food safety products and food-related products that are easier to consume, less expensive, and easier to test for contaminants.•Providing information on foods and foods safety products.•Identifying trends in food safety, which is essential for consumer safety and the continued development of better products.