Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

food
Any substance that is eaten to provide nutri-
tional support for the body.
food, functional
A modified food that claims to
improve health or well-being by providing benefit
beyond that of the traditional nutrients it contains.
Functional foods may include such items as cereals,
breads, beverages that are fortified with vitamins,
some herbs, and nutraceuticals.
food, “super”
Food with alleged healing or
health-promoting capabilities. Not all items adver-
tised as “super” foods or healing foods have been
proven to promote health, however, and some may
be contraindicated for people with certain health
conditions.
Food and Drug Administration
An agency
within the US Public Health Service that provides a
number of health-related services. Abbreviated FDA.
The FDA’s services include inspecting food and food-
processing facilities to ensure wholesomeness and
safety; scrutinizing food and drugs for pets and farm
animals; ensuring that cosmetics will not cause harm;
monitoring the health of the nation’s blood supply;
ensuring that medicines, medical devices, and bio-
logicals (such as insulin and vaccines) are safe and
effective; and testing radiation-emitting products such
as microwave ovens to protect the public. The FDA
also oversees health and safety labeling of these prod-
ucts. All new prescription and over-the-counter drugs
are subject to FDA approval. The FDA must determine
that a new drug produces the benefits it’s supposed to
produce, without causing side effects that would out-
weigh the benefits. It does so by looking at the results
of clinical trials done outside the FDA. When serious
adverse effects from a medication are reported, the
FDA has the power to force the manufacturer to make
changes in the drug, change its safety labeling or
marketing practices, or remove the medication from
the market.
food poisoning
Disease caused by food-borne
infectious organisms, such as the Clostridium botu-
linum bacteria that produces deadly botulism toxin.
Symptoms may include stomach upset, nausea,
vomiting, and weakness, depending on the organ-
ism involved. The most prominent causes of food
poisoning are noroviruses (often from shellfish and
salads), Campylobacter jejuni (the leading cause of
bacterial food poisoning, often from undercooked
poultry), Salmonella (often from raw or under-
cooked eggs), Listeria monocytogenes (often from
unpasteurized milk and cheese), Vibrio vulnificus
(through raw or inadequately cooked seafood), and
E. coli 0157:H7 (often from undercooked ham-
burger). See also 
botulism; E. coli; listeriosis;
salmonellosis.