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Nutrition, Food Safety, & Quality

ARS’s Nutrition, Food Safety, and Quality (NFSQ) program coordinates and leads ARS research to define the role of food and its components in optimizing health for all Americans. The NFSQ supports researchers who develop tests and processes that keep the food supply safe, reduce and control pathogens and toxins in agricultural products, and improve the economic viability and competitiveness of American agriculture.

 

In This Section

Green Jet Fuel Takes Off

Scientists have assembled a collection of yeasts that convert agriculture waste into bio-oil, which is then easily converted into biodiesel or renewable jet fuel.

Turning Wine Waste into Gut Power

Researchers have teamed up with wine growers to determine whether waste from wine grapes can be converted into healthy food components.

‘Programming’ Babies for Better Health?

ARS-funded researchers investigated how the content of oligosaccharides differed in milk produced by women with normal weight, overweight, or obesity.

The Toxin that’s Hiding in Plain Sight

ARS scientists are studying the potential health risks of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

New Method Detects Mercury

Researchers developed a portable, dual detection biosensor that enables on-site testing of samples for mercury and displays the results on a smart phone.

New Wheat Alters Insulin Response

Research at the ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center revealed that consuming a new type of wheat may help control blood sugar.

Genes That Keep Tomatoes Fresher

Scientists have identified a tomato gene that's responsible for the softening process in the fruit as it matures, and found a way to inhibit the gene, keeping tomatoes firmer, longer.