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FSTA

What FSTA is
FSTA is a web database for searching literature in food science and related disciplines. IFIS says it contains more than 2,400,000 abstracts covering research from 91 countries and 43 languages, with records dating from 1969 onward. Content includes scientific journal articles, trade publications, conference proceedings, and industry patents. New material is added weekly, at about 4,500 entries per week. An IFIS food thesaurus with over 16,000 terms supports targeted searching, while expert scientists vet additions and sources for relevance and reliability. IFIS also screens new journals using a 60-measure checklist addressing quality, integrity, and relevance. Subscriptions are available through Web of Science, Ovid, and EBSCOhost; FSTA with Full Text is exclusive to EBSCO. Organizations can request a free trial and receive training support. FSTA is paid, with pricing on request, and has no free plan.
Who it suits
FSTA is intended for researchers, scientists, students, librarians, academic libraries, corporate research labs, and government agencies needing food-related literature searches. Institutional access is available.
What it does well
- Over 2.4 million abstracts
- Covers 91 countries and 43 languages
- Weekly additions of about 4,500 entries
- 16,000+ term food thesaurus
- Available through major research platforms
What to know first
- Paid service with pricing on request
- No free plan
- Full-text edition limited to EBSCO
- Web platform only
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| FSTA corporate pay-as-you-go | Pay-as-you-go access for corporate users; price not stated | On request |
| FSTA subscription | Subscription access; pricing not stated on the pages reviewed | On request |
As ifis.org lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
FSTA provides broad, frequently updated food and health science literature with structured indexing and curated sources. Buyers should account for request-based paid pricing and platform-specific full-text access.
Facts from FSTA's own pages
- Access help
- IFIS says its team will check subscription access and get back to users within one working day if automatic matching does not identify a subscription. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Audience
- IFIS describes FSTA as serving researchers, scientists, students, libraries, corporate research labs and government agencies. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Content
- The database includes scientific journal articles, trade publications, conference proceedings, and industry patents. · ifis.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Content types
- FSTA covers scientific journal articles, trade publications, conference proceedings and industry patents. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Coverage
- The database contains more than 2,400,000 abstracts directly related to food and includes more than 27,000 sources. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Curation
- IFIS says expert scientists vet additions and sources for reliability and relevance to food and health sciences. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 1969 · ifis.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Full text option
- FSTA with Full Text lists 273 active full-text journals, including 163 with no embargo. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom · ifis.org, 28 Sept 2026
- Indexing
- FSTA records are indexed using an IFIS food thesaurus of over 16,000 terms to support targeted searches. · ifis.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- FSTA is available through Web of Science, Ovid and EBSCOhost; FSTA with Full Text is available exclusively on EBSCO. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Journal screening
- IFIS evaluates new journals for quality, integrity, and relevance, using a checklist of 60 measures to screen for predatory or unethical practices. · ifis.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Maker
- IFIS is a not-for-profit academic publishing organization founded in 1968 and based in Reading, UK. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- FSTA is a literature-search database for food science and related fields, including food and health sciences. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Record count
- IFIS says FSTA contains over 2,400,000 abstracts related to food and health sciences. · ifis.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Research platforms
- FSTA subscriptions are available through Web of Science, Ovid, and EBSCOhost. · ifis.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Search
- Records are indexed using IFIS’s food thesaurus of more than 16,000 terms to support targeted searches. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- IFIS offers drop-in webinars and downloadable training materials for users and information professionals. · ifis.org, 8 Oct 2026
- Training and support
- IFIS offers drop-in webinars, downloadable training materials and tailored training for organizations or universities. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Trial
- IFIS invites organizations to arrange a free trial, but the page does not state its duration. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
- Updates
- IFIS says the database is updated weekly, with approximately 4,500 entries added per week. · ifis.org, 9 Oct 2026
Where FSTA stands on Freedom251
- Academic Research Databases#26 of 35