Food and nutrition: Internet resources

Key sites

  • FoodInfoQuest
    An excellent guide to help students and researchers find and use food science information. This site is produced by IFIS, producers of the FSTA database and experts in food information.

  • Food Science Central
    A gateway to free and subscription based information relating to the world of food science, food technology and food-related human nutrition produced by IFIS (compilers of the FSTA database). Registration is free and gives access to a database of over 3,000 Internet sites, all scientific articles and reports on the Food Science Central site, and a regular email alert on changes to the site.

  • Intute
    Guide to quality Internet resources. Includes the sub-gateways:
    - Agriculture, Food and Forestry covers food-related sites including, legislation, regulations, biotechnology, food technology, analysis and quality control (formerly AgriFor)
    - Bioresearch covers biological and biomedical sciences, including genetics, biotechnology, virology, biochemistry and molecular biology (formerly BIORES)
    - Medicine covers health and medicine (formerly OMNI)

Guides and tutorials

General food-related sites

  • The Blonz Guide: Nutrition, Food and Health Resources
    This site is compiled by Ed Blonz, a Certified Nutrition Specialist of the American College of Nutrition, a nutrition consultant, researcher and journalist.

  • BUBL
    BUBL provides a limited number of carefully selected resources covering all academic subject areas. Relevant links for food studies have been divided into the following subject categories:
    Food Consumption
    Food Production
    Food Safety
    Food Science
    Nutrition

  • Free Medical Journals.com
    This site provides free access to medical journals. Most are completely free - others are free after one or more years after publication. Includes Journal of nutrition (free after one year) and Microbiology (free after two years).

  • Prepared Foods
    A news-based site which contains articles of topical interest (American bias).

  • ScienceResearch.com
    A portal allowing cross-searching of numerous scientific journals and public science databases.

  • Unit Operations in Food Processing
    This is the free web edition of a popular textbook known for its simple approach to the diversity and complexity of food processing.

  • WWW Virtual Library
    The WWW Virtual Library is made up of a large number of subject sections compiled by volunteers expert in their subject areas. There isn't one specific section for food, but lists of resources are available for related topics such as microbiology, nutrition, and materials engineering. American bias.

Additives

  • Flavouring Agents Database
    Produced by the Joint FAO/WHO Committee on Food Additives this database includes food flavourings. The specifications can be searched by name, JECFA number, Flavour and Extract Manufacturer's Association of the USA (FEMA) number, Council of Europe (COE) number and the Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) number.

  • Food Ingredients and Packaging
    Site produced by the U.S. Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition. Includes information about the safety of food additives, fat substitutes, irradiation, and packaging.

  • Food Additives Database
    Produced by the Joint FAO/WHO Committee on Food Additives this database includes food additives other than flavourings. The specifications can be searched by name, INS number, CAS number, or by other factors such as functional use.

Analysis and chemistry

See also the Internet resources for chemistry guide for links in this area.

  • ChemFinder.com
    This free database includes: chemical structures (2D structures & 3D models); physical properties (MP, BP, CAS RN, & more); and links to other websites with information about your compound.

  • The Chemical Thesaurus reaction chemistry database
    Information about chemical entities and chemical reactions, interactions and processes. Allows you to jump from chemical to chemical via the associated interactions, reactions and processes.

  • ChemIDplus
    Useful site for defining and identifying substances.

  • NIST Data Gateway
    Free access to National Institute of Standards and Technology data covering a broad range of substances and properties from different scientific disciplines.

  • PubChem
    Search substance, compound or bioassay databases to find chemical information including structures, synonyms, molecular weight and formula.

Ethics

  • Intute: BioethicsWeb Gateway
    This gateway is aimed at those studying, teaching or researching in the area of bioethics, or anyone interested in the ethical, legal and social issues surrounding the conduct and implications of biomedical research. Covers genetically modified foods and biotechnology.

Food law

See also the Internet resources for law guide for links in this area.

  • Food Law
    Compiled by Dr David Jukes of the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, this site provides comprehensive listings of sites covering UK, European and International food law.

Food safety: including microbiology, virology and toxicology

  • The "Bad Bug Book"(Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook)
    This handbook provides basic facts regarding foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins. It brings together in one place information from the Food & Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, and the National Institutes of Health.

  • CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances
    Produced by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry this list contains substances which are considered to be a threat to human health due to their frequency, toxicity and potential for human exposure.

  • Food-Related Diseases
    Information about a range of foodborne illnesses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  • National Toxicology Program
    Site includes factsheets about specific aspects of toxicology and results of the toxicity studies it undertakes for specific chemicals.

  • MicrobiologyBytes.com
    Produced by the University of Leicester this site contains excellent descriptions and tutorials on a variety of microbiology-related topics.

  • Toxicology Tutorials
    A series of three toxicology tutorials from the National Library of Medicine designed to give an introduction to the subject.

  • TOXNET (Toxicology Data Network)
    TOXNET is a cluster of databases covering toxicology, hazardous chemicals and the environment. In TOXNET you can find TOXLINE which is one of the most well known toxicology databases containing bibliographic information on the biochemical, pharmacological, physiological and toxicological effects of drugs and other chemicals. It contains over 3 million citations, most of which have abstracts and CAS Registry numbers.

Market information

Nutrition and food composition

  • British Nutrition Foundation
    Includes information about specific food groups and news of latest developments.

  • INFOODS
    The International Network of Food Data Systems has developed standards and guidelines for collection, compilation, and reporting of food component data. Includes links to online sources of food composition information and discussion groups.

  • PubMed (Medline)
    Search for articles across the biomedical sciences including nutrition.

  • USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
    Find the composition of a specific food. Also allows you to find the composition of different weights of that product.

Organisations & institutions

  • AOAC International (formerly the Association of Official Analytical Chemists)
    Focuses on chemical and microbiological analysis in areas of food, drugs, agriculture, environment, forensics.

  • British Nutrition Foundation
    Includes information about specific food groups and news of latest developments.

  • Campden BRI
    Information about membership, research interests, publications and training.

  • Codex Alimentarius Commission
    The Codex Alimentarius Commission is the body responsible for compiling the standards, codes of practice, guidelines and recommendations that constitute the Codex Alimentarius. The Codex Alimentarius, or Food Code, aims to protect public health and encourage fair practices in worldwide food trade. All the standards and databases are being made available on the Commission's website.

  • DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
    Includes information aimed at UK food and drink manufacturing industries about improving competitiveness and information on food regulations applied to various food groups. Also provides information on water quality and drinking water. DEFRA statistics are also available free of charge.

  • The Federation of Bakers
    Useful source of information about bread and the bread baking industry - includes statistics.

  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
    The FAO site includes news, events, publications and statistical databases.

  • Food and Nutrition Information Center
    The FNIC is one of several information centers at the National Agricultural Library, part of the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. From their site you can access all of FNIC's resource lists and databases, as well as many other food and nutrition related links.

  • Food Standards Agency (FSA)
    Includes information about BSE, labelling, additives, enforcement, safety tips, industry guidance and publications.

  • US Foreign Agriculture Service
    This site is developed by the US Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service. It provides a wide range of global food and drinks market data including country reports, food market overviews and market-specific reports.

  • Health Protection Agency
    A national organisation for England and Wales dedicated to protecting people’s health and reducing the impact of infectious diseases, chemical hazards, poisons and radiation hazards. Includes information about foodborne illnesses.

  • Institure of Food Science and Technology (UK)
    The IFST site provides information about their Special Interest Groups and gives position statements on current food-related topics.

  • Institute of Food Technologists (USA)
    Includes information on membership, publications and meetings.

  • International Food Information Service (IFIS)
    IFIS produce a range of food-related information including the key database in this field - Food Science and Technology Abstracts. The IFIS site includes information about products and a list of journal titles scanned for inclusion in the FSTA database.

  • Leatherhead Food International
    Leatherhead Food International is a research, information and training centre for the food and drinks industry. It's site includes information about services, products and publications.

  • United States Food and Drug Administration
    Includes information on food additives, food safety and food labelling.

Please note: our site descriptions are based on information available on the site described at the time it was evaluated.

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