Searching the USDA Database

Searching the USDA database may require patience to find your item.  For nutritional label accuracy, try to match your Inventory item as closely as possible to the USDA database.  Remember the following hints when you search:

·         Keyword search will bring up every occurrence of the word.  Search for flour, and you will get flour, flour tortillas, and fried breaded chicken.

·         If you are getting too many items from the keyword search, try adding a word.  Search for wheat flour instead of flour.  If you are not getting enough possibilities, delete the extra words.

·         The database allows partial word searches.  Search for bac and you will get backs, and bacon.

·         All company names are capitalized, and are the first word in the line.

·         Descriptions will be the first word on each line.  Using flour as an example, wheat, corn, and barley would be the first word on the line.

·         If you still can’t find it, search a broader term based on what the ingredient is made from.  For example, search beef to find hamburger patties.  Search pork for bacon. 

·         If an item may be made from different ingredients, check all of them to find your exact match. Bologna is made from pork, beef, chicken, or some combination of all of them.  Double-check the details of your item to match it to the database.

·         The database does group certain items: all cookies, soups, chicken, beef, pork, cakes, and others items are together.  You might find matches quickly searching for the group. Try searching for cookies and a listing of all cookies will appear.