How do I get a USDA API key?

Register for a free API key at fdc.nal.usda.gov/api-key-signup.html. Approval is instant. no wait time required.

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Use USDA with your AI.

Connect your account once and let the AI you already use work with it, without building another integration. Access the gold standard in nutrition data. 300,000+ foods with scientific-grade nutrient profiles from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Included with plan

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

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Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Complete set · 2 capabilities

The complete USDA capability set.

These are the exact actions your AI can choose when you ask it to work with USDA.

Capability set01 / 01

01-02

2 capabilities in this set.

Part of 2 available through USDA.

01
Get usda food details
Get detailed nutritional information for a specific food by its USDA FDC ID
02
Search usda foods
S. Department of Agriculture food database containing 300,000+ foods. Returns calories, protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and sugar per serving. Covers foundation foods, branded products, and survey data. Search the USDA FoodData Central database for foods and their nutritional profiles

Observed, not estimated

822ms average. Fast in production.

USDA is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1136ms

Aug 20Today

Fastest day: 634ms
Slowest day: 1136ms
14-day trend: Slowing+18%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 2 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of USDA, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with USDA. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

USDA Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_qXgL3Na4VcEYpIWsEu0TOnHTDKDROaG4GFvM2erk/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — USDA capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "usda-fooddata-central-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_qXgL3Na4VcEYpIWsEu0TOnHTDKDROaG4GFvM2erk/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

FAQ

Questions USDA owners ask.

01
How do I get a USDA API key?
Register for a free API key at fdc.nal.usda.gov/api-key-signup.html. Approval is instant. no wait time required.

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