The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a new web site that provides a database of food safety research projects to researchers and the general public.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a new web site (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fsrio) that provides a database of food safety research projects to researchers and the general public. The site also features food safety reports, news and more than 100 links to food safety research information provided by U.S. and foreign governments, as well as by educational and professional organizations.

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman described the site as a tool for policy makers and researchers to examine safety-related research needs and priorities. "The goal is to measure the progress of our food safety research and continue efforts to educate the public about these important issues," she said.

The searchable database provides information on nearly 500 food safety research projects dating from 1998 to the present, including work performed or funded by USDA Agricultural Research Service.