Usda Fdc

List Foods

list_foods

Read-onlyIdempotent

Paginated browse of FDC foods.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`sort_by`	No
`data_type`	No	Filter to data type(s). Options: Branded \| Foundation \| Survey (FNDDS) \| SR Legacy \| Experimental
`page_size`	No	1-200 (default 50)
`sort_order`	No
`page_number`	No	1-based page

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`count`	No
`items`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed5 schema fields changedOct 8, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / count
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "number"
+}
```

removedOutput schema / properties / foods

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Array of food items",
-  "items": {
-    "properties": {
-      "dataType": {
-        "description": "Type of food data",
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "description": {
-        "description": "Food description",
-        "type": "string"
-      },
-      "fdcId": {
-        "description": "FDC food identifier",
-        "type": "number"
-      },
-      "publishedDate": {
-        "description": "Date food was published",
-        "type": "string"
-      }
-    },
-    "type": "object"
-  },
-  "type": "array"
-}

addedOutput schema / properties / items

Added value: +{
+  "items": {
+    "properties": {
+      "brandOwner": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "dataType": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "description": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "fdcId": {
+        "type": "number"
+      },
+      "foodCode": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "foodNutrients": {
+        "items": {
+          "properties": {
+            "amount": {
+              "type": "number"
+            },
+            "derivationCode": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "derivationDescription": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "name": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "number": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "unitName": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "type": "array"
+      },
+      "gtinUpc": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "publicationDate": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}

removedOutput schema / properties / pageNumber

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Current page number",
-  "type": "number"
-}

removedOutput schema / properties / pageSize

Removed value: -{
-  "description": "Number of items per page",
-  "type": "number"
-}

Changed2 schema fields changedMay 22, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "data_type": "Survey (FNDDS)",
+    "page_number": 1,
+    "page_size": 50
+  },
+  {
+    "page_number": 2,
+    "page_size": 100,
+    "sort_by": "publishedDate",
+    "sort_order": "desc"
+  }
+]

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "description": "Paginated list of FDC foods",
+  "properties": {
+    "foods": {
+      "description": "Array of food items",
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "dataType": {
+            "description": "Type of food data",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "description": {
+            "description": "Food description",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "fdcId": {
+            "description": "FDC food identifier",
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "publishedDate": {
+            "description": "Date food was published",
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "pageNumber": {
+      "description": "Current page number",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "pageSize": {
+      "description": "Number of items per page",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedMay 13, 2026

TDQS

C2.7/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds only the pagination behavior on top. It doesn't disclose default page size, ordering defaults, or result limits, so its added value beyond annotations is thin but not contradictory.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single front-loaded sentence with zero waste. It is efficient, though its brevity is partly under-specification rather than pure conciseness.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists, so return values needn't be restated. But for a 5-parameter paginated list tool with 0 required params (all optional) and partial schema coverage, the description leaves defaults, sort behavior, and filter semantics entirely to the schema, which does not fully cover them.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 60%, and sort_by and sort_order have no descriptions or enums in the schema. The description mentions none of the five parameters, so it fails to compensate for the undocumented fields the agent must set to paginate or order results.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose3/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a verb (browse) and resource (FDC foods) plus the pagination trait, so the basic purpose is clear. However, it does not distinguish itself from close siblings like search_foods, get_food, or list_food_groups, leaving the agent to infer when a browse differs from a search.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No when-to-use guidance is given and no alternative is named. With search_foods and list_food_groups present, the agent gets no signal about which of these to pick for a given retrieval need.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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