This page provides articles and reports published by ERS using the data from the three component data series—food availability, loss-adjusted food availability, and nutrient availability. Also included are articles on particular foods or food groups and links to related information and data by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. For articles and reports on the following topics, select:
Food availability
Articles and data in Amber Waves:
- U.S. Diets Still Out of Balance With Dietary Recommendations (July 2017)
- U.S. Per Capita Availability of Red Meat, Poultry, and Fish Lowest Since 1983 (January/February 2017)
- Butter and Margarine Availability Over the Last Century (July 2016)
- Potatoes and Tomatoes Account for Over Half of U.S. Vegetable Availability (September 2015)
- Fresh Fruit Makes Up a Growing Share of U.S. Fruit Availability (May 2015)
- Trends in U.S. Per Capita Consumption of Dairy Products, 1970-2012 (June 2014)
- U.S. Per Capita Availability of Chicken Surpasses That of Beef (September 2012)
- New Loss Estimates Suggest Higher Vegetable and Protein Consumption (September 2011)
- Guess Who's Turning 100? Tracking a Century of American Eating (March 2010)
- Milk and Coffee Displaced by Other Beverage Options (March 2010)
- Almonds Lead Increase in Tree Nut Consumption (June 2008)
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup Usage May Be Leveling Off (February 2008)
- Americans' Dairy Consumption Below Recommendations (November 2007)
- ERS Food Availability Data Look at Consumption in Three Ways (June 2007)
- Coffee Consumption Over the Last Century (June 2007)
- ERS Food Availability Data Under Revision (June 2006)
- Chicken Consumption Continues Longrun Rise (April 2006)
- Will 2005 Be the Year of the Whole Grain? (June 2005)
- Americans' Whole Grain Consumption Below Guidelines (April 2005)
- Measuring America's Cheese Consumption (February 2005)
- Cheese Consumption Continues To Rise (February 2005)
- Trends in U.S. Per Capita Consumption of Dairy Products, 1909 to 2001 (June 2003)
- Estimating Consumption of Caloric Sweeteners (April 2003)
- Estimating Per Capita Domestic Use of Head Lettuce (February 2003)
Reports:
- U.S. Trends in Food Availability and a Dietary Assessment of Loss-Adjusted Food Availability, 1970-2014 (January 2017)
- U.S. Food Commodity Availability by Food Source, 1994-2008 (December 2016)
- Updated Supermarket Shrink Estimates for Fresh Foods and Their Implications for ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data Updated Supermarket Shrink Estimates for Fresh Foods and Their Implications for ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data (June 2016)
- U.S. Food Commodity Consumption Broken Down by Demographics, 1994-2008 U.S. Food Commodity Consumption Broken Down by Demographics, 1994-2008 (March 2016)
- Canned Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the United States: An Updated Report to Congress Canned Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the United States: An Updated Report to Congress (October 2010)
- Supermarket Loss Estimates for Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Poultry, and Seafood and Their Use in the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data Supermarket Loss Estimates for Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Poultry, and Seafood and Their Use in the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data (March 2009)
- Canned Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the United States: A Report to the United States Congress Canned Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the United States: A Report to the United States Congress (September 2008)
- Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005 Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005 (March 2008)
- U.S. Per Capita Food Supply Trends: More Calories, Refined Carbohydrates, and Fats (December 2002)
- Imports' Share of U.S. Diet Rises in Late 1990's (September-December 2001)
- Per Capita Food Supply Trends: Progress Toward Dietary Guidelines (September-December 2000)
- Major Trends in U.S. Food Supply, 1909-99 (January 2000)
- U.S. Food Supply Providing More Food and Calories (September 1999)
- Trends in the U.S. Food Supply, 1970-97 in: America's Eating Habits: Changes and Consequences America's Eating Habits: Changes and Consequences(May 1999)
- Food Consumption, Prices, and Expenditures, 1970-97 Food Consumption, Prices, and Expenditures, 1970-97 (April 1999)
- A Dietary Assessment of the U.S. Food Supply: Comparing Per Capita Food Consumption with Food Guide Pyramid Serving Recommendations A Dietary Assessment of the U.S. Food Supply: Comparing Per Capita Food Consumption with Food Guide Pyramid Serving Recommendations (December 1998)
- Milk and Milk Products: Their Importance in the American Diet (May 1998)
- Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products (June 1992)
Loss-adjusted food availability
Articles and data in Amber Waves:
- ERS’s Food Loss Data Help Inform the Food Waste Discussion (June 2013)
- New Loss Estimates Suggest Higher Vegetable and Protein Consumption (September 2011)
- Americans' Dairy Consumption Below Recommendations (November 2007)
- ERS Food Availability Data Look at Consumption in Three Ways (June 2007)
- Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Dietary Recommendations Will Impact Agriculture (April 2007)
- While Americans Are Switching to Lower Fat Milks…They Are Increasing Their Use of Cheese (November 2006)
- Added Fats and Oils Provide More Calories Per Day for the Average American Than Any Other Food Group (September 2006)
- U.S. Food Consumption Up 16 Percent Since 1970 (November 2005)
Reports:
- Expert Panel on Technical Questions and Data Gaps for the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability (LAFA) Data Series (March 2019)
- Updated Supermarket Shrink Estimates for Fresh Foods and Their Implications for ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data Updated Supermarket Shrink Estimates for Fresh Foods and Their Implications for ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data (June 2016)
- U.S. Food Commodity Consumption Broken Down by Demographics, 1994-2008 U.S. Food Commodity Consumption Broken Down by Demographics, 1994-2008 (March 2016)
- The Estimated Amount, Value, and Calories of Postharvest Food Losses at the Retail and Consumer Levels in the United States The Estimated Amount, Value, and Calories of Postharvest Food Losses at the Retail and Consumer Levels in the United States (February 2014)
- Consumer-Level Food Loss Estimates and Their Use in the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data Consumer-Level Food Loss Estimates and Their Use in the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data (January 2011)
- Supermarket Loss Estimates for Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Poultry, and Seafood and Their Use in the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data Supermarket Loss Estimates for Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Poultry, and Seafood and Their Use in the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data (March 2009)
- Canned Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the United States: A Report to the United States Congress Canned Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the United States: A Report to the United States Congress (September 2008)
- Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005 Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005 (March 2008)
- Possible Implications for U.S. Agriculture From Adoption of Select Dietary Guidelines Possible Implications for U.S. Agriculture From Adoption of Select Dietary Guidelines (November 2006)
- Plate Waste in School Nutrition Programs: Final Report to Congress (March 2002).
- Per Capita Food Supply Trends: Progress Toward Dietary Guidelines (September-December 2000)
- Moving Toward the Food Guide Pyramid: Implications for U.S. Agriculture Moving Toward the Food Guide Pyramid: Implications for U.S. Agriculture (July 1999)
- A Dietary Assessment of the U.S. Food Supply: Comparing Per Capita Food Consumption with Food Guide Pyramid Serving Recommendations A Dietary Assessment of the U.S. Food Supply: Comparing Per Capita Food Consumption with Food Guide Pyramid Serving Recommendations (December 1998)
- Estimating and Addressing America's Food Losses (January 1997)
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Nutrient Data Laboratory
Journal articles:
- Estimated Fresh Produce Shrink and Food Loss in U.S. Supermarkets (2015)
- Total and per capita value of food loss in the United States (2012)
- The Value of Retail- and Consumer-Level Fruit and Vegetable Losses in the United States (2011)
- Postharvest losses and waste in developed and less developed countries: opportunities to improve resource use (2011)
- Several Strategies May Lower Plate Waste in School Feeding Programs (Summer-Fall 2002)