FoodData Central vs Open Food Facts
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
FoodData Central vs Open Food Facts: common questions
Which is more reliable, FoodData Central or Open Food Facts?
On our scheduled checks, FoodData Central leads on measured uptime — FoodData Central at 98.0% versus Open Food Facts at 39.2% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.
Which is faster, FoodData Central or Open Food Facts?
Open Food Facts has the lower median latency in our checks — FoodData Central responds in 1726 ms versus Open Food Facts at 1556 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.
Do FoodData Central and Open Food Facts need an API key?
Open Food Facts needs no key, while FoodData Central requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Open Food Facts first.
Can I call FoodData Central and Open Food Facts from the browser?
Only FoodData Central is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Open Food Facts needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.
Are FoodData Central and Open Food Facts free for commercial use?
FoodData Central has unclear commercial terms, and Open Food Facts has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.