# io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server (remote · usda.caseyjhand.com)

Search foods, compare nutrients, and look up the full USDA FoodData Central database.

- Trust score: 82/100 (high trust)
- Change this week: 0
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-09-22

## Components

- remote · `usda.caseyjhand.com`: 82/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/usda.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/usda)
- npm · `@cyanheads/usda-mcp-server`: 43/100, [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server)

## Channel facts

- Endpoint: `https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp`
- Transports: `streamable-http`
- Auth: `none`
- Version: `0.1.10`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically against the live server, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-09-22.

- **Endpoint Security**: 66/100
  - The endpoint's TLS certificate is valid, in date, and uses a strong key.
  - Authorisation not fully verified: no authorisation is required to call this server, and 5 tool(s) never declared a destructiveHint. The MCP spec treats an absent hint as destructive by default, so we cannot call this surface safe.
  - HTTPS is enforced; there's no plaintext access path.
  - The HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security) header is present.
  - DNSSEC is configured correctly; the domain's records validate against the full chain to the root.
- **Transport & Reachability**: 100/100
  - Verified streamable-http transport via a live MCP handshake.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 77/100
  - 100% of prompts and resources have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the item's name).
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (excellent).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 1497 tokens (~249/item across 6 items; 5 tools + 1 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 100/100
  - No destabilizing schema changes in the last 30 days.
- **Tool Coverage**: 100/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 100% of tool parameters carry a description.
  - Structured output schemas are declared (100% of tools); any adoption earns full credit.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 5 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 7 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a current MCP spec version (2026-07-28).

## Install

### How do I install the io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server server?

io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server is a hosted endpoint at https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp, so there is nothing to install locally. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http cyanheads-usda-mcp-server 'https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp'
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyanheads-usda-mcp-server": {
      "url": "https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "cyanheads-usda-mcp-server": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```toml
[mcp_servers.cyanheads-usda-mcp-server]
url = "https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "cyanheads-usda-mcp-server": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add cyanheads-usda-mcp-server --url 'https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp' --transport streamable-http
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  cyanheads-usda-mcp-server:
    url: "https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "cyanheads-usda-mcp-server": {
      "Transport": "http",
      "Url": "https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add cyanheads-usda-mcp-server -t streamable-http -u 'https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp'
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyanheads-usda-mcp-server": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

The mcpServers block is a cross-client convention. Remote transports vary, so check your client's docs.

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-09-16 (score 82, 0)

- [functional] Server version: 0.1.9 → 0.1.10

### 2026-09-12 (score 82, 0)

- [security] Stability: 0.97 → pass

### 2026-09-11 (score 82, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 93 to 97. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 28 days of observed history at the previous scan, 29 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-09 (score 81, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 87 to 90. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 26 days of observed history at the previous scan, 27 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-07 (score 80, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 80 to 83. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 24 days of observed history at the previous scan, 25 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-05 (score 79, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 73 to 77. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 22 days of observed history at the previous scan, 23 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-09-02 (score 78, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 63 to 67. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 19 days of observed history at the previous scan, 20 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-08-31 (score 77, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 57 to 60. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 17 days of observed history at the previous scan, 18 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

## MCP tools (5)

### `usda_list_nutrients` (~154 tokens)

List USDA Nutrients

Look up the FDC nutrient reference table — all tracked nutrients with their numeric IDs, names, SR reference numbers, units, and categories. Use to resolve a nutrient name (e.g. "vitamin C") to its FDC ID (1162) before passing it to the nutrients[] filter on other tools. Filter by category (macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, lipids, amino_acids, or other) to narrow results. The data is static — call once and reuse the IDs.

Input parameters:

- `category` (string): Filter to a nutrient category. Omit to return all ~150 tracked nutrients. Options: macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, lipids, amino_acids, other.

Output parameters:

- `error` (object): Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
- `nutrients` (array): Nutrient reference entries matching the requested category, or all if category is omitted.

### `usda_search_foods` (~374 tokens)

Search USDA Foods

Search USDA FoodData Central foods by keyword. Returns matching foods with FDC IDs and a preview of key nutrients (energy, protein, fat, carbs — not guaranteed complete). Use the returned fdcId with usda_get_food for the full nutrient profile, or usda_compare_foods for side-by-side comparisons. When dataType is omitted, defaults to SR Legacy (common whole foods with complete profiles) — or to Branded when brandOwner is set, since only Branded records carry one. Set dataType to ["Branded"] for packaged products, or include a UPC/GTIN code as the query. Pass brandOwner (e.g. "General Mills") to narrow branded results.

Input parameters:

- `brandOwner` (string): Filter branded results by brand owner name (e.g. "General Mills", "Kraft"). Only Branded records carry one, so setting this defaults dataType to ["Branded"] unless dataType is given explicitly.
- `dataType` (array): FDC data sources to search. Omitting this defaults to ["SR Legacy"] (common whole foods, complete nutrient profiles), or to ["Branded"] when brandOwner is set. Include "Branded" for packaged products…
- `foodCategory` (string): Filter by USDA food category (e.g. "Poultry Products", "Vegetables and Vegetable Products"). Case-sensitive.
- `pageNumber` (integer): Page number (1-based). Use with totalPages to paginate.
- `pageSize` (integer): Number of results per page. Default 10, maximum 50.
- `query` (string, required): Search terms — food name, ingredient, or UPC/GTIN code for branded products. Examples: "chicken breast raw", "banana", "012345678901".

Output parameters:

- `currentPage` (number): Current page number (1-based).
- `error` (object): Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
- `foods` (array): Foods matching the search query.
- `totalCount` (number): Total foods matching the query across all pages.
- `totalHits` (number): Total number of foods matching the query across all pages.
- `totalPages` (number): Total number of pages available.

### `usda_get_food` (~279 tokens)

Get USDA Food

Get the full nutrient profile for one food by FDC ID. Returns all available nutrients (or a filtered subset via the nutrients[] param) with optional per-portion scaling. Use usda_search_foods to discover FDC IDs. Provide quantity + unit to scale all nutrient values from per-100g to the specified portion (e.g. quantity=200, unit="g" → per-200g values). Use unit="serving" to scale to the food's first defined portion weight. Narrow nutrients[] to specific IDs to reduce response size for focused queries.

Input parameters:

- `fdcId` (integer, required): FDC ID of the food. Use usda_search_foods to discover IDs.
- `nutrients` (array): Filter to specific nutrient IDs (e.g. [1003, 1004, 1005, 1008] for protein, fat, carbs, energy). Use usda_list_nutrients to look up IDs. Omit to return all available nutrients.
- `quantity` (number): Amount of food to scale nutrient values to. Must be positive. When provided, unit is required. Omit for per-100g values (FDC database native basis).
- `unit` (string): Unit for quantity. "serving" uses the food's first defined portion weight. Required when quantity is provided.

Output parameters:

- `allPortions` (array): All named portions for this food.
- `brandName` (string): Brand name. Branded items only.
- `brandOwner` (string): Brand owner. Branded items only.
- `dataType` (string): FDC data source: SR Legacy, Foundation, Survey (FNDDS), or Branded.
- `description` (string): Full USDA food name (e.g. "Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, raw").
- `error` (object): Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
- `fdcId` (number): FDC ID of the food.
- `foodCategory` (string): USDA food category (e.g. "Poultry Products"). Absent for some branded items.
- `ingredients` (string): Ingredient list from label. Branded items only.
- `nutrients` (array): Nutrient values for this food, per 100g or scaled to the requested quantity.
- `publicationDate` (string): Date this food entry was published in FDC.
- `scaledTo` (object): Scaling basis when quantity+unit were provided. Absent when returning per-100g values.
- `servingInfo` (object): First available portion definition, if present.

### `usda_get_foods` (~198 tokens)

Get USDA Foods (Batch)

Fetch nutrient profiles for 2–20 foods in a single API call. More efficient than calling usda_get_food N times when you already have multiple FDC IDs. All values are per 100g (no portion scaling). Use the nutrients[] filter to limit response size — strongly recommended for batch calls. For side-by-side comparison with a formatted table, use usda_compare_foods instead. Failed IDs (not found or no data) are reported in the failed[] array rather than aborting the entire batch.

Input parameters:

- `fdcIds` (array, required): FDC IDs to fetch — 2 to 20 IDs. Use usda_search_foods to discover IDs.
- `nutrients` (array): Filter to specific nutrient IDs (e.g. [1003, 1004, 1005, 1008]). Strongly recommended — full profiles can be large. Use usda_list_nutrients to look up IDs.

Output parameters:

- `error` (object): Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
- `failed` (array): IDs that returned no data. Check these with usda_search_foods to verify they exist.
- `foods` (array): Successfully fetched foods.

### `usda_compare_foods` (~349 tokens)

Compare USDA Foods

Compare nutrients side-by-side for 2–5 foods. Returns a structured table — one row per nutrient, one column per food — formatted as markdown. Best for "spinach vs kale iron" or "which has more protein?" questions. Omit nutrients[] to use the 12 most common defaults (energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbs, fiber, sugars, sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, vitamin C); provide nutrients[] with specific FDC IDs to compare different nutrients. All values are scaled to the same gram basis (default 100g). If one or more FDC IDs are not found, the comparison proceeds with the valid foods — only throws too_few_foods when fewer than 2 IDs return data.

Input parameters:

- `fdcIds` (array, required): FDC IDs to compare — 2 to 5 foods. Use usda_search_foods to discover IDs.
- `nutrients` (array): Nutrient IDs to include in the comparison. Defaults to the 12 most common: energy (1008), protein (1003), total fat (1004), saturated fat (1258), carbohydrate (1005), fiber (1079), total sugars (2000…
- `quantity` (number): Gram basis for comparison. All values scaled to this amount. Must be positive. Default 100.
- `unit` (string): Unit for quantity. Default "g". Does not support "serving" (use a fixed gram basis for consistent comparison).

Output parameters:

- `basis` (object): The common scaling basis applied to all nutrient values.
- `error` (object): Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
- `foods` (array): The compared foods, in the same order as the values arrays below.
- `missingData` (array): Foods or food+nutrient pairs where data was unavailable. Absent when all data was present.
- `nutrients` (array): Nutrient rows — one entry per requested nutrient, with per-food values in the values[] array.

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: TLS, DNSSEC, Authorisation, Transports. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/usda#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-09-22: 82
- 2026-09-21: 82
- 2026-09-20: 82
- 2026-09-19: 82
- 2026-09-18: 82
- 2026-09-17: 82
- 2026-09-16: 82
- 2026-09-15: 82
- 2026-09-14: 82
- 2026-09-13: 82
- 2026-09-12: 82
- 2026-09-11: 82
- 2026-09-10: 81
- 2026-09-09: 81
- 2026-09-08: 80
- 2026-09-07: 80
- 2026-09-06: 79
- 2026-09-05: 79
- 2026-09-04: 78
- 2026-09-03: 78
- 2026-09-02: 78
- 2026-09-01: 77
- 2026-08-31: 77
- 2026-08-30: 76
- 2026-08-29: 76
- 2026-08-28: 75
- 2026-08-27: 75
- 2026-08-26: 74
- 2026-08-25: 73
- 2026-08-24: 72

## Common questions

### What is the io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server server?

io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server is listed in the public MCP registry as io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server. Search foods, compare nutrients, and look up the full USDA FoodData Central database. This page covers its hosted endpoint (https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp).

### Is the io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server server safe to use?

io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server scores 82 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server server expose?

io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server exposes 5 tools: usda_list_nutrients, usda_search_foods, usda_get_food, usda_get_foods, usda_compare_foods. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 1,354 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Does the io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server server require authentication?

No. We connected to io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server without credentials and it answered, so anything it exposes is reachable by anyone who knows the address.

### Is the io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server server still maintained?

io.github.cyanheads/usda-mcp-server is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 22 September 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

## Links

- Remote endpoint: https://usda.caseyjhand.com/mcp
- Repository: https://github.com/cyanheads/usda-mcp-server
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/usda.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/usda.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/cyanheads-usda-mcp-server/usda