USDA Food & Nutrition Information Center

The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) is a leader in on-line global nutrition information. Located at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) of USDA, the FNIC Web site contains over 2500 links to current and reliable nutrition information.

History of FNIC

The center itself was started in 1971 (with 2 nutritionists) under a reimbursable agreement between the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Agricultural Library (NAL). The mission was to collect and disseminate information about food and human nutrition. In 1977, the Food and Agriculture Act (Farm Bill) established the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) as a permanent entity within NAL. From the start, FNIC has strived to serve the professional community (including educators, health professionals and researchers) as well as consumers by providing access to a wide range of trustworthy food and nutrition resources from both government and non-government sources.

Over the years, FNIC has continued to grow with added services and products to meet the needs of our users for reliable nutrition information. A major milestone occurred in 1995 with the launching of the FNIC website, greatly expanding FNIC's reach. In addition to the web site overall, our most popular products are our Resource Lists and our Databases of Educational Materials. Our most popular services include our Ask A Question and lending services. Our special projects target specific user groups or subject areas.

Special Project Areas in FNIC
Today FNIC has several special project areas each with their own Web sites:

* Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-Ed Connection is a resource system for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program nutrition education providers.
* Healthy Meals Resource System (HMRS) provides information to persons working in USDA's Child Nutrition Programs.
* International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) database provides access to bibliographic citations and abstracts from published, international, scientific literature on dietary supplements.
* WIC Works Resource System (WWRS) serves as an encompassing resource for WIC Nutritionists and other WIC professionals nationwide.

In 2004, FNIC revitalized Nutrition.gov into a website geared towards consumers, with a focus on weight management and obesity issues. Nutrition.gov features up-to-date news, and spotlights government resources of interest for the public.

As part of the NAL's Food Information Team, FNIC is also associated with The Food Safety Information Center (FSIC) at the National Agricultural Library.

About FNIC Staff

FNIC's staff now number a dozen trained nutrition professionals, most of whom are registered dietitians (RDs). Computer specialists, a Web designer, and administrative support are also part of the FNIC staff.

FNIC also participates in the ADA approved University of Maryland (UMD) Dietetic Internship by precepting UMD interns during their information technology rotation.

What FNIC Can Do For You

Help You Locate Information. Our staff of Registered Dietitians and nutritionists is available to answer questions and help you locate resources. Please see the Contact Us Web page.

Lend You Resources. Â Â The food and human nutrition collection at NAL includes books, audiovisuals, kits, games, hands-on material, manuals, and journal articles. Eligible patrons may borrow directly from the collection; others may obtain the resources through interlibrary loan. Library Hours are: 8:30AM-4:30PM Monday through Friday. Information on lending services at NAL can be found on the Request Library Materials web page.

Note: Effective July 1, 2007 NAL is discontinuing the direct service document delivery program for special affiliated food and nutrition programs (Expanded Patron category), which was previously supported by an interagency agreement. Individuals who previously used this service should submit requests through the interlibrary loan service of their local library. More information.

FNIC Disclaimer

The FNIC Web site provides information about food and human nutrition. The materials found in this Web site are not intended to be used for the diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a licensed health professional.

The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this Web site (or in Web site pages) is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by USDA or the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. Likewise, some databases available on the FNIC website include resources from "non-government entities." Inclusion of these materials in a database does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by FNIC or the U.S. Government.