Overview
foodMASST contextualizes known or unknown tandem mass spectra against a reference collection of foods and beverages assembled through public metabolomics data. Matching spectra are mapped to food/beverage items and associated metadata, enabling researchers to explore potential dietary origins and occurrence patterns of compounds in untargeted metabolomics.
What can this tool do?
Common uses
- Search a query MS/MS spectrum against curated food and beverage reference data.
- Generate hypotheses about dietary or food-associated origins of molecules detected in untargeted data.
- Explore exact or related spectral occurrences across food categories and associated metadata.
- Find food and beverage reference contexts for a spectrum observed in a biological sample.
Scientific fit
Primary function
Reference data and database search
Other functions
Spectral processing and comparison, Data management and sharing
Analysis types
Untargeted metabolomics, Metabolite profiling, Exposomics
MS level
MS/MS
Acquisition
Data-dependent acquisition (DDA), Targeted MS/MS, General or unspecified acquisition
Ion mobility
Ion mobility not required
Data compatibility
Inputs
Mass spectra
Outputs
Mass spectra, Sample metadata, Human-readable report
Input formats
MGF, Universal Spectrum Identifier (USI) or peak list
Output formats
CSV or TSV
Scope and considerations
Designed for
- Food- and beverage-contextualization of tandem mass spectra.
Not designed for
- Estimating food intake or establishing that a dietary exposure caused a biological phenotype.
Important requirements
- A query MS/MS spectrum or compatible spectrum identifier.
Considerations
- A match in food reference data supports an occurrence hypothesis but does not by itself establish dietary exposure or provenance in a biological sample.
- Reference coverage depends on the foods and beverages deposited in the source collection.
- Inspect food labels and source datasets; shared ingredients and processing can produce matches across different food categories.
Access and documentation
Hosted access and any account or usage requirements should be checked at the linked service. Access to a web service does not establish the license of its code or reference data.
Evidence and review
Documentation-based editorial pass on 6 September 2026: scope, interpretation limits and practical use reviewed against the linked official documentation and cited literature. Software execution, service availability and developer verification were not assessed.
Core publications
Resource papers, direct updates and tool-specific methods. Selection policy.
- West KA, Schmid R, Gauglitz JM, et al. foodMASST a mass spectrometry search tool for foods and beverages. NPJ Sci Food 6, 22 (2022). doi:10.1038/s41538-022-00137-3
Related tools
Entry history
Changes to this catalogue entry, not the tool's software release history. Acceptance and editorial review are separate.
- 2026-09-08 · Entry update
Audit core publications across existing tools
View change · Entry at this revision - 2026-09-07 · Entry update
Expand and document 31 metabolomics tools and resources
View change · Entry at this revision - 2026-08-24 · First committed entry
Complete GNPS SIRIUS and MZmine tool ecosystems
View change · Entry at this revision