Food and Drug Administration

Food and Drug Administration (FDA),

a U.S. federal agency responsible for the enforcement of federal regulations on the manufacture and distribution of food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. The regulations are intended to prevent the sale of impure or dangerous substances.

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Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services whose principal purpose is to enforce the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The agency insures that foods for sale in the United States are safe, pure, and wholesome; that drugs and therapeutic devices are safe and effective; that cosmetics are harmless; and that all these products are correctly labeled and packaged. The FDA is also responsible for enforcing the federal act that requires informative labels on any household product that is toxic, corrosive, irritant, or inflammable or generates pressure through decomposition or heat.

If a product in interstate commerce is proved to be faulty, the FDA is authorized to bring court action or seize the adulterated or incorrectly labeled merchandise and to prosecute the responsible person or company.

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Food and Drug Administration,

n U.S. agency that oversees the regulation of biotechnology, food, supplements, drug products, and cosmetics.

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food,

n the ingested solids and liquids that supply the body with nutrients and energy.

food additives,

n.pl substances that are added to foods to prevent spoilage, improve appearance, enhance the flavor or texture, or increase the nutritional value.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA),

n.pr an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for the enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and other statutes as assigned.

food, comminution of

n the reduction of food into small parts.

food debris,

n the particles of food remaining in the oral cavity after eating, which collect in tooth crevices and between the teeth and may contribute to the formation of dental caries. See also materia alba.

Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD &C),

n.pr legislation passed in 1906 dealing with import and export activity as well as the enforcement of packaging and labeling requirements of all food, drug, and cosmetic commerce within the United States.

food frequency checklist,

n a tool used by individuals to determine how often they are ingesting certain types of foods. Consists of a list of various foods from all food groups and a grid allowing for a range of answers, from never to five or more times per day. See also diet.

food gorging,

n the rapid ingestion of large amounts of food; stuffing; in bulemia, gorging is alternated with purging as a weight-maintenance regimen.

Food Guide Pyramid,

n.pr a graphic list issued and endorsed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services; outlines recommendations for a healthy, balanced diet. Through the illustration of a three-dimensional triangle, it divides daily diet choices according to recommended frequency of ingestion.

food impaction,

n See impaction, food.

food, physical character of,

n the consistency, as the firmness, viscosity, or density, of food substances. Soft, adhesive, and nonabrasive foods tend to cling to the teeth, which may lead to calculus formation, whereas coarse foods leave little debris and create a frictional effect on the tissues, thus cleansing them.

food record,

n a manually recorded history of an individual's dietary intake over a 24-hour period; subsequently analyzed by a dental hygienist in order to help correct any nutritional imbalances.