REDESIGNED FSRIO WEB SITE MAKES IT EASIER TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH

Jan 11, 2006
National Agricultural Library
Yvette Alonso
http://fsrio.nal.usda.gov

BELTSVILLE, MD, January 11, 2006--The Food Safety Research Information Office (FSRIO) at the National Agricultural Library (NAL) has launched a redesigned Web site featuring several new improvements for accessing food safety research information. The site’s new search environment and enhancements to its rich database of research projects means that people wanting information on food safety research will find the FSRIO site even more helpful.

Users of the redesigned site can now browse information conveniently arranged in topics from Pathogens and Contaminants to Food Processing and Technology. The web site features hundreds of links to food safety research information, plus fact sheets on a variety of specific topics (i.e. food irradiation, aflatoxins, etc.) that analyze research activities.

The Research Projects Database which is core to the web site now includes both Quick Search and Advanced Search capabilities, each useful in finding information on more than 1700 food safety research projects at Federal agencies, academic institutions and other organizations. To find everything the web site has to offer on a topic--including news stories, external links, conferences and information products created by FSRIO--users will find it helpful to search the Web site on a specific topic (i.e. salmonella).

FSRIO was created by U.S. Congress (H.R.2534 Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reauthorization Act of 1997, SEC. 503.) to prevent unintended duplication of research and to assist all levels of government with assessing needs and gaps in food safety research. The National Agricultural Library formally launched the FSRIO Web site and database in July 2001.

FSRIO is part of NAL’s Food Safety Information Center, and is supported by the Agricultural Research Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific research agency.

The redesign of the FSRIO web site implements USDA web standards and meets U.S. Office of Management and Budget guidelines for focusing on customer needs. For more information, contact: Yvette Alonso, Food Safety Research Information Office, National Agricultural Library, (Email FSRIO, 301 504-7374)