Location: Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory
Project Number: 8040-10700-004-001-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 31, 2019
End Date: Aug 30, 2024
Objective:
Expanded food composition data and research focused in ongoing ARS programs will be established through small and large studies on the changing composition of the U.S. food supply. Emerging nutrients of public health importance will be studied and data will be included in USDA food composition databases that are part of the USDA FoodData Central. Focus will be on key food contributors of nutrients and emerging compounds which have shown potential in disease prevention, especially nutrients - vitamins and bioactive compounds - affected by commercial processing, and emerging compounds of public health importance.
Approach:
Food chemists, a statistician and IT specialists will provide support to the Methods and Applications of Food Composition Lab (MAFCL): 1. FoodData Central Database Management support; and 2. food chemists who will support federal staff in food research e.g., effect of new technologies and processing on foods, compounds of public health importance, foods consumed by vulnerable US populations e.g., American Indian/Alaska Native, and impact of agricultural practices, climate, etc. on commodity foods in the US food supply. A thorough review of the literature and data analysis of existing and new data is required. Personnel hired will be assigned a research area; the IT specialist and statistician works across studies and in response to other needs of the newly formed MAFCL.
