WASHINGTON – The US Department of Agriculture has released an updated version of its National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

The National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference is the foundation of most food and nutrition databases in the US, and is used in food policy, research and nutrition monitoring. The database contains information on more than 8,000 food items and up to 146 food components.

Updated or added foods include frozen chicken tenders, barbecue rotisserie chicken, chicken (breast, drumstick, thigh, wing and back with and without skin); sliced ready to eat lunch meats (bologna, chicken, salami); and bacon (regular, low-sodium and pre-cooked) and frozen meat and cheese lasagna, according to the American Meat Institute.

The database also contains results from study conducted to obtain nutrient values for specific cuts of raw Australian beef, veal and lamb in addition to the nutrient composition of whole turkeys.