Reference Database: A Ground-Truth Food Data Platform for Canada

The Reference Database project aims to build a high-quality, reliable food data platform to complement and enhance Open Food Facts (OFF) in Canada. While OFF is a valuable open dataset, it can contain incomplete or inconsistent information. This project addresses these challenges by collecting and structuring trusted food product data from Canadian sources such as brand websites, retailers, and public registries. The goal is to create a clean and consistent dataset that improves data quality and supports downstream processing. The database will enable data enrichment, validation, and advanced use cases such as nutritional analysis, product categorization, and machine learning applications. It will also support better alignment with international standards and improve the overall reliability of food data. The project focuses on building a scalable data pipeline for data collection, cleaning, and integration, with the goal of delivering a functional MVP during Summer 2026.