# USDA API: Search foods

> Searches USDA FoodData Central foods and branded products by food or brand name, ranked by relevance. Calories and serving sizes are null when not supplied.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by USDA.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/fdc.nal.usda.gov/search-foods
- Method: `fdc.nal.usda.gov/search_foods`, version 1
- Website: fdc.nal.usda.gov
- Returns: description, brand owner, category, calories per 100 g, serving size, FoodData Central link and ID
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `query` | string | yes | `"greek yogurt"` | Food or brand name to search, for example greek yogurt or Cheerios. |
| `food_type` | string | no |  | Choose any foods, generic foods, or branded products; for example branded. One of "any", "generic", "branded". Default "any". |
| `max_results` | integer | no |  | Maximum number of results to return, for example 20. Default 20. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 23, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "query": "greek yogurt"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "foods": [
    {
      "category": "Popcorn, Peanuts, Seeds & Related Snacks",
      "brand_owner": "Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.",
      "description": "GREEK YOGURT",
      "serving_size": "2 Tbsp",
      "food_page_link": "https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2035482/nutrients",
      "data_source_type": "Branded",
      "calories_per_100_g": 467,
      "food_data_central_id": 2035482
    },
    {
      "category": "Yogurt",
      "brand_owner": "Chobani, Inc.",
      "description": "GREEK YOGURT",
      "serving_size": "1 CONTAINER",
      "food_page_link": "https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2038865/nutrients",
      "data_source_type": "Branded",
      "calories_per_100_g": 80,
      "food_data_central_id": 2038865
    },
    {
      "category": "Yogurt",
      "brand_owner": "TRADER JOE'S",
      "description": "GREEK YOGURT",
      "serving_size": "1 CONTAINER",
      "food_page_link": "https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/373595/nutrients",
      "data_source_type": "Branded",
      "calories_per_100_g": 132,
      "food_data_central_id": 373595
    }
  ]
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"fdc.nal.usda.gov/search_foods","input":{"query":"greek yogurt"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- Find branded cereal options for Cheerios with calorie counts per 100 g and serving sizes
- I need a list of generic foods matching greek yogurt, top 10 results, with their FoodData Central IDs
- Look up branded oat milk products from Oatly and show the brand owner and category
- What are the calories per 100 g for almond butter? Show me up to 25 matches on usda.gov
- Search for any food named sourdough bread and give me links to the FoodData Central entries

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "query"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "query": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Food or brand name to search, for example greek yogurt or Cheerios."
    },
    "food_type": {
      "enum": [
        "any",
        "generic",
        "branded"
      ],
      "type": "string",
      "default": "any",
      "description": "Choose any foods, generic foods, or branded products; for example branded."
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of results to return, for example 20."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "foods"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "foods": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "description",
          "brand_owner",
          "category",
          "calories_per_100_g",
          "serving_size",
          "food_page_link",
          "food_data_central_id",
          "data_source_type"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "category": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ],
            "description": "Food category."
          },
          "brand_owner": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ],
            "description": "Brand owner, or null for generic foods."
          },
          "description": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Food description."
          },
          "serving_size": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ],
            "description": "Serving size shown for the food, if available."
          },
          "food_page_link": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "FoodData Central food details page."
          },
          "data_source_type": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ],
            "description": "USDA data source type."
          },
          "calories_per_100_g": {
            "type": [
              "number",
              "null"
            ],
            "description": "Calories (kcal) per 100 grams, if supplied."
          },
          "food_data_central_id": {
            "type": "integer",
            "description": "USDA FoodData Central food ID."
          }
        },
        "additionalProperties": false
      },
      "description": "Foods in relevance order."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}
```

## See more

- [USDA API: Get nutrition facts](https://fous.com/methods/fdc.nal.usda.gov/get-nutrition-facts.md): Looks up a food in USDA FoodData Central and returns its nutrients per 100 g and for a chosen amount (grams, ounces, or a listed household portion).
- [Open Food Facts API: Search packaged foods](https://fous.com/methods/openfoodfacts.org/search-products.md): Searches Open Food Facts packaged foods by name, optionally filtered by diet, country where sold and brand, ordered by popularity (most scanned first).
- [FDA API: Search food recalls](https://fous.com/methods/open.fda.gov/search-food-recalls.md): Finds FDA food recall enforcement reports by product, brand, or allergen, newest first. Reports are updated weekly and recall statuses may lag.
- [ALDI API: Search products](https://fous.com/methods/aldi.us/search-products.md): Search ALDI US groceries in site order with prices for the selected store. Prices and availability vary by store; related search results may follow direct matches.
- [Trader Joe's API: Search products](https://fous.com/methods/traderjoes.com/search-products.md): Searches Trader Joe's public product catalogue by name or keywords, optionally within a main category. Prices are website reference prices and may vary by store.
- [Food Network API: Search recipes](https://fous.com/methods/foodnetwork.com/search-recipes.md): Finds Food Network recipes for a dish or ingredient, optionally filtered by chef, in site search order.
- [Instacart API: Search store products](https://fous.com/methods/instacart.com/search-products.md): Searches a named Instacart store's guest-visible grocery products for a US ZIP code. Prices are in USD and can differ from in-store prices; stock estimates can change.
- [FDA API: Search drug recalls](https://fous.com/methods/open.fda.gov/search-drug-recalls.md): Finds FDA drug enforcement recalls by medicine or company name, newest first, with status, class, reason and quantity. Recent recalls may not yet appear.
- [All USDA methods](https://fous.com/methods/usda.gov.md)