Are the food availability data adjusted for food losses?
No, the core food availability data are not adjusted for most food losses (only some farm to retail losses have been accounted for at this stage). However, ERS has developed methods to adjust the food availability data for losses and also to present the data in terms of daily per capita MyPyramid equivalents or allowances. The second data series—Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data—allows researchers to gain a more complete understanding of U.S. dietary patterns by comparing food availability servings measured at the national level with estimates generated at the individual level from food intake surveys.
