Food Classification System Research Articles

Consumption of ultra-processed foods and its association with added sugar content in the diets of US children, NHANES 2009-2014.

There is cumulative recognition that increases in the dietary share of ultra-processed foods result in deterioration of the nutritional quality of the overall diet and adverse health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the consumption of ultra-processed foods and to examine its association with added sugar content in the diet of US children aged 2 to 19 years. We classified all food items according to the NOVA food classification system and looked at the consumption of ultra-processed foods, measured as percentage of total energy intake. We assessed dietary added sugar content by estimating its contribution to total energy intake and the proportion of individuals with diets exceeding the recommended limit of 10% of total energy intake from added sugars. We also examined the proportion of those who surpassed twice that limit. Gaussian and Poisson regressions estimated the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and estimates of added sugar content. Ultra-processed foods contributed to 65% of total energy intake and to 92% of energy from added sugars in the diet of US children. The mean percent energy provided by added sugars in the observed period was 14.3%. Most individuals (70.9%) had diets exceeding the recommended limit of added sugar (<10% of total energy intake), and 18.4% of the population had diets surpassing twice the recommended level (20% of total energy intake). A 5.5% point increase in the dietary share of ultra-processed foods determined a 1 percentage point increase in the dietary content of added sugars, with stronger adjusted associations among younger children. Public health efforts to reduce added sugars in the diet of US children must put greater emphasis on decreasing the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

P94 A Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial Using NOVA to Supplement MyPlate Concepts

Background The US Dietary Guidelines (USDG) and MyPlate do not reflect the reality of the modern food environment, which is replete with unhealthy ultra-processed food products. These products represent 60% of the calories consumed by Americans, but they are also difficult to categorize using conventional “food group” (i.e. nutrient-based) frameworks. The NOVA food classification system categorizes foods based on level of processing, but its utility in nutrition education has not been widely tested. Objective To assess the impact of a proof-of-concept nutrition education intervention on nutrition knowledge. Study Design, Settings, Participants Two hundred and fifty three university students were invited to participate in this randomized, controlled trial with three arms: MyPlate intervention, combined MyPlate + NOVA intervention, and control group. Intervention groups received one educational flyer via email. Electronic baseline and follow-up surveys assessed nutrition knowledge of 25 common foods. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Outcomes of interest were correct classification of: MyPlate food groups, MyPlate sugar, salt, and fat ‘limit’ status, and NOVA food category. Paired t-test compared pre and post intervention differences and simple linear regression was used to calculate percent change in intervention groups compared to control. Results Data were available for 174 participants (69%). The MyPlate intervention group improved only for the MyPlate limit status question, 3.6%-point increase (95% CI 0.6, 6.7). The MyPlate+NOVA group improved significantly across all three questions, with increases of 4.0 (95% CI 1.0, 7.0), 6.0 (95% CI 3.2, 9.0), and 11.1% points (95% CI 6.8, 15.3) for the three survey questions, respectively. Performance in the control group was mixed. Conclusion This study employed a simple “low-dose” intervention to explore the impact of a novel intervention and generate new hypotheses. Our results suggest that NOVA principles may be more easily understood and applied than those of MyPlate. Education strategies focusing on level of food processing may be more effective in the context of the modern food environment compared to the conventional “food group” approach. Funding None.

Relative Validity and Reproducibility of a Food Frequency Questionnaire to Assess Energy Intake from Minimally Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods in Young Children.

NOVA is a food classification system that categorises food items into one of four categories according to the extent and purpose of their processing: minimally processed food (MPF), processed culinary ingredient (PCI), processed food (PF), or ultra-processed food (UPF). The aim of this study was to determine the relative validity and reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire (EAT5 FFQ) for measuring daily energy intake (EI kJ) and percentage of daily energy intake (EI%) from each NOVA group in New Zealand children. One hundred parents of five year old children completed the 123 item EAT5 FFQ on two occasions four weeks apart. A 3 day weighed diet record (WDR) was completed on non-consecutive randomly assigned days between FFQ appointments. The FFQ overestimated EI (both as kJ and %) from MPF and UPF, and underestimated intakes from PCI and PF, compared with the WDR. Bland–Altman plots indicated reasonably consistent agreement between FFQ and WDR for MPF and UPF but not PCI or PF. Correlation coefficients between the FFQ and WDR were acceptable for EI (%) for MPF (r = 0.31) and UPF (r = 0.30). The FFQ differentiated between the highest and lowest quartiles for EI (%) from MPF and UPF foods (p-values for the trends were 0.006 and 0.009 respectively), and for EI (kJ) from UPF foods (p-value for trend 0.003). Bland–Altman plots indicated consistent agreement between repeat administrations of FFQ for MPF and UPF only, while intra-class correlations suggested good reproducibility for EI (kJ and %) for all four NOVA categories (range 0.51–0.76). The EAT5 FFQ has acceptable relative validity for ranking EI (%) from MPF and UPF. It has good reproducibility for measuring EI from all four NOVA categories, in young children.

Harmonizing Dietary Datasets Around the World for Global Diet Monitoring: Methods from the Global Dietary Database and the Global Individual Food Consumption Data Tool (OR06-06-19)

ObjectivesTo systematically identify, compile, and harmonize national and sub-national individual-level dietary data around the world using a common food classification and description system (FCDS); promote collaboration with data owners worldwide; and publicly disseminate methods and datasets to the global nutrition community. MethodsThe Global Dietary Database (GDD) and the FAO/WHO Global Individual Food consumption data Tool (FAO/WHO GIFT) initiative, in collaboration with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), developed a framework to standardize the characterization of 24-hour recall and food record survey data at their finest level, using FoodEx2 (Figure). FoodEx2 is a comprehensive FCDS developed by EFSA, adapted for international high-quality food characterization and methodologically superior to prior international FCDS. Single food items are characterized through a classification system (hierarchical nested food groups) and 32 description elements (facets), such as cooking process. Standardized criteria, procedures, and templates were developed to: (1) identify and (2) prioritize eligible surveys for FoodEx2 mapping; (3) efficiently contact data owners and obtain approval for public dissemination; (4) allocate financial assistance as appropriate; (5) obtain survey information and assess survey and diet tool quality; (6) train data owners on dataset preparation and FoodEx2 mapping; (7) collect harmonized microdata, including structure, sociodemographics, diet metrics, units of measure, and food characterization; and (8) publicly disseminate methods and datasets via the GDD and FAO/WHO GIFT platforms. ResultsA total of 151 surveys have been identified as high priority. Harmonization has been completed for 24 European surveys by EFSA, which will be incorporated in the GDD and FAO/WHO GIFT platforms upon approval of data owners; 8 surveys by FAO/WHO GIFT; and is ongoing for another 4. Thus far, the data owners of 53 surveys from 41 countries, including Brazil, India, and Iran, confirmed interest in joining; all surveys either used none or a local FCDS. ConclusionsThese new methods developed will provide the most comprehensive and standardized databases of dietary intakes worldwide. Such global dietary data harmonization is imperative for global diet monitoring and informed priority setting. Funding SourcesGates Foundation. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs▪

How Muscle Foods Are Categorized and Described in Chronic Disease Literature: A Systematic Review and Quantitative Analysis (P01-021-19)

ObjectivesQualitatively, nutrition science and policy experts recognize that variation in muscle food categories (CAT) and descriptions (DESCR) hinder effective translation of research into policy. The purpose of this systematic review was to quantitatively describe CAT and DESCR patterns in nutrition-related chronic disease literature. MethodsWe identified 3427 articles in PubMed, Cochrane, and CINHAL up to March 2018. Inclusion criteria were: 1) observational (OBS) or randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs, 2) muscle food consumption as an independent variable, 3) primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, or cancer as a dependent variable, 4) population 19+ years, and 5) females not pregnant/lactating. We considered a CAT as the phrase researchers used to refer to a muscle food group and DESCR as the explanation of a CAT. Table 1 describes our empirical scoring scale. We used generalized linear mixed models to assess effect of publication date, one-way ANOVAs to assess differences between study designs and chronic disease types, and binary logit models to estimate probabilities of DESCR factors. ResultsWe identified 1019 CAT and 833 DESCR from 369 articles. Mean CAT specificity for RCT and OBS was 2 and 3 points, respectively (out of 7; Table 1), with no differences among chronic disease types. Specificity of OBS CAT was higher in more recent publications but RCT CAT became less specific in the 2000 s compared to previous years. RCT CAT were 5x more likely to include species, 6x more likely to include leanness, but 5x less likely to include processing degree compared to OBS CAT. Among all CAT, 76% and 82% included a DESCR for OBS and RCT, respectively. Researchers described processed meat, red meat, and total meat categories more commonly than poultry or fish categories. Of processed meat DESCR provided by researchers, 31% included a common term used in publicly available regulatory definitions. ConclusionsMuscle food categories and descriptions are substantively different within and between observational and experimental studies and do not match definitions used by regulatory agencies. A practical muscle food classification system is warranted to improve interpretation of evidence regarding muscle food consumption and chronic disease. Funding SourcesThe Beef Checkoff. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs▪

Ultra-processed food consumption and the incidence of depression in a Mediterranean cohort: the SUN Project.

A growing body of evidence shows that consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is associated with a higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases, which, in turn, have been linked to depression. This suggests that UPF might also be associated with depression, which is among the global leading causes of disability and disease. We prospectively evaluated the relationship between UPF consumption and the risk of depression in a Mediterranean cohort. We included 14,907 Spanish university graduates [mean (SD) age: 36.7year (11.7)] initially free of depression who were followed up for a median of 10.3years. Consumption of UPF (industrial formulations made mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods and additives, with little, if any, intact food), as defined by the NOVA food classification system, was assessed at baseline through a validated semi-quantitative 136-item food-frequency questionnaire. Participants were classified as incident cases of depression if they reported a medical diagnosis of depression or the habitual use of antidepressant medication in at least one of the follow-up assessments conducted after the first 2years of follow-up. Cox regression models were used to assess the relationship between UPF consumption and depression incidence. A total of 774 incident cases of depression were identified during follow-up. Participants in the highest quartile of UPF consumption had a higher risk of developing depression [HR (95% CI) 1.33 (1.07-1.64); p trend = 0.004] than those in the lowest quartile after adjusting for potential confounders. In a prospective cohort of Spanish university graduates, we found a positive association between UPF consumption and the risk of depression that was strongest among participants with low levels of physical activity.

GIS and multi-criteria decision-making analysis assessment of land suitability for rapeseed farming in calcareous soils of semi-arid regions

Abstract To reverse the negative environmental properties effect on fertile lands for agriculture, land suitability evaluation is the first step in the designing the most sustainable land use and management systems. The aim of the present study was to develop and evaluate a land suitability model for rapeseed farming using topography factors, soil data and remote sensing data in calcareous soils of semi-arid regions northwestern Iran. For this purpose, stratified random sampling was used to select a set of 92 soil samples of agricultural land use from 0 to 30 cm depth. For land suitability assessment, the opinions of 19 local experts were used to make a decision for the weight of topography, soil data and remote sensing data factors by an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) from multi-criteria analysis. The input data including climate, topography, soil and remote sensing data were included that are related to rapeseed production. The results indicate the highest specific weight belongs to the soil texture (0.341), calcium carbonate equivalent (0.171) and elevation (0.114), respectively. Land suitability evaluation based on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization classification system indicated that 0.81% (420.8 ha) of the studied area was for high suitable (S1), 42.33% (21940.2 ha) was for moderately suitable (S2) and 11.78% (6104 ha) was for marginally suitable (S3) class. The 39.72% (20586.4) and 0.95% (492.1 ha) of studied area were located as currently not-suitable and permanently not-suitable for rapeseed productions, respectively.

Brazilian Children's Dietary Intake in Relation to Brazil's New Nutrition Guidelines: a Systematic Review.

This systematic review reports the latest scientific evidence, from cross-sectional and cohort studies, describing the dietary intake of children and adolescents from Brazil. The goal of the review was to describe intakes according to Brazil's new food classification system (NOVA) which classifies foods according to the degree of processing, i.e., unprocessed/minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, processed food, and ultra-processed food. Due to a paucity of data using the NOVA classification system, studies with other intake descriptors were included. Results using the NOVA system showed a somewhat high intake of (ultra-)processed items, than of minimally processed items. Studies using other methods of dietary assessment showed not only high intake of sources rich in fat, sugar, and sodium, most of them processed items (e.g., savory snacks and sweets) but also intake of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Overall, the literature was marred by inconsistencies and variation in study definitions and methods making it hard to make firm conclusions regarding the dietary intake of Brazilian children. The development of tools to evaluate the complexities of dietary intake is much needed. Such a tool needs to be accepted and adopted by numerous study groups, to describe dietary status among Brazilian children and devise the most effective, and to evaluate the success of nutrition education programs.

FAO/WHO GIFT (Global Individual Food consumption data Tool): a global repository for harmonised individual quantitative food consumption studies.

Knowing who eats what, understanding the various eating habits of different population groups, according to the geographical area, is critical to develop evidence-based policies for nutrition and food safety. The FAO/WHO Global Individual Food consumption data Tool (FAO/WHO GIFT) is a novel open-access online platform, hosted by FAO and supported by WHO, providing access to harmonised individual quantitative food consumption (IQFC) data, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). FAO/WHO GIFT is a growing repository, which will serve as the global FAO/WHO hub to disseminate IQFC microdata. Currently five datasets from LMIC are available for dissemination, and an additional fifty datasets will be made available by 2022. To facilitate the use of these data by policy makers, ready-to-use food-based indicators are provided for an overview of key data according to population segments and food groups. FAO/WHO GIFT also provides an inventory of existing IQFC data worldwide, which currently contains detailed information on 188 surveys conducted in seventy-two countries. In order for end-users to be able to aggregate the available data, all datasets are harmonised with the European Food Safety Authority's food classification and description system FoodEx2 (modified for global use). This harmonisation is aimed at enhancing the consistency and reliability of nutrient intake and dietary exposure assessments. FAO/WHO GIFT is developed in synergy with other global initiatives aimed at increasing the quality, availability and use of IQFC data in LMIC to enable evidence-based decision-making and policy development for better nutrition and food safety.

Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Risk of Mortality Among Middle-aged Adults in France

Growing evidence indicates that higher intake of ultraprocessed foods is associated with higher incidence of noncommunicable diseases. However, to date, the association between ultraprocessed foods consumption and mortality risk has never been investigated. To assess the association between ultraprocessed foods consumption and all-cause mortality risk. This observational prospective cohort study selected adults, 45 years or older, from the French NutriNet-Santé Study, an ongoing cohort study that launched on May 11, 2009, and performed a follow-up through December 15, 2017 (a median of 7.1 years). Participants were selected if they completed at least 1 set of 3 web-based 24-hour dietary records during their first 2 years of follow-up. Self-reported data were collected at baseline, including sociodemographic, lifestyle, physical activity, weight and height, and anthropometrics. The ultraprocessed foods group (from the NOVA food classification system), characterized as ready-to-eat or -heat formulations made mostly from ingredients usually combined with additives. Proportion (in weight) of ultraprocessed foods in the diet was computed for each participant. The association between proportion of ultraprocessed foods and overall mortality was the main outcome. Mean dietary intakes from all of the 24-hour dietary records available during the first 2 years of follow-up were calculated and considered as the baseline usual food-and-drink intakes. Mortality was assessed using CépiDC, the French national registry of specific mortality causes. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were determined for all-cause mortality, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, with age as the underlying time metric. A total of 44 551 participants were included, of whom 32 549 (73.1%) were women, with a mean (SD) age at baseline of 56.7 (7.5) years. Ultraprocessed foods accounted for a mean (SD) proportion of 14.4% (7.6%) of the weight of total food consumed, corresponding to a mean (SD) proportion of 29.1% (10.9%) of total energy intake. Ultraprocessed foods consumption was associated with younger age (45-64 years, mean [SE] proportion of food in weight, 14.50% [0.04%]; P < .001), lower income (<€1200/mo, 15.58% [0.11%]; P < .001), lower educational level (no diploma or primary school, 15.50% [0.16%]; P < .001), living alone (15.02% [0.07%]; P < .001), higher body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared; ≥30, 15.98% [0.11%]; P < .001), and lower physical activity level (15.56% [0.08%]; P < .001). A total of 602 deaths (1.4%) occurred during follow-up. After adjustment for a range of confounding factors, an increase in the proportion of ultraprocessed foods consumed was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR per 10% increment, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.04-1.27; P = .008). An increase in ultraprocessed foods consumption appears to be associated with an overall higher mortality risk among this adult population; further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and to disentangle the various mechanisms by which ultraprocessed foods may affect health.

Medical Complications in Pregnancy

Medical complications and intercurrent disease have long presented challenges to obstetricians and other medical providers caring for pregnant women. Contemporary medical practice and treatments have only added to these challenges. Advances in disease management mean that patients with some conditions (e.g., cystic fibrosis) whose life expectancies in the past would have precluded pregnancy are now living to reproductive age. Furthermore, treatments to restore fertility allow the barrier of age, as well as anatomic and genetic barriers, to be surmounted. All of these advances emphasize the need for careful and considered collaboration between clinicians caring for women of reproductive age who are not pregnant and those who care for them during pregnancy. This review discusses pregnancy planning and counseling, principles of teratogenesis, physiologic changes in pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, thrombophilia, asthma, infectious diseases, renal disease, autoimmune diseases, cancer, neurologic diseases, substance use, intrahepatic cholestasis, and pregnancy-specific conditions. Tables list elements of preconception care and counseling, the Food and Drug Administration drug classification system for pregnancy, selected drugs with suspected or known teratogenic potential, and physiologic changes of pregnancy. This review contains 15 tables and 83 references. Key Words: Headache, maternal mortality, obstetric medicine, pregnancy, pulmonary embolism

Medical Complications in Pregnancy

Medical complications and intercurrent disease have long presented challenges to obstetricians and other medical providers caring for pregnant women. Contemporary medical practice and treatments have only added to these challenges. Advances in disease management mean that patients with some conditions (e.g., cystic fibrosis) whose life expectancies in the past would have precluded pregnancy are now living to reproductive age. Furthermore, treatments to restore fertility allow the barrier of age, as well as anatomic and genetic barriers, to be surmounted. All of these advances emphasize the need for careful and considered collaboration between clinicians caring for women of reproductive age who are not pregnant and those who care for them during pregnancy. This review discusses pregnancy planning and counseling, principles of teratogenesis, physiologic changes in pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, thrombophilia, asthma, infectious diseases, renal disease, autoimmune diseases, cancer, neurologic diseases, substance use, intrahepatic cholestasis, and pregnancy-specific conditions. Tables list elements of preconception care and counseling, the Food and Drug Administration drug classification system for pregnancy, selected drugs with suspected or known teratogenic potential, and physiologic changes of pregnancy. This review contains 15 tables and 83 references. Key Words: Headache, maternal mortality, obstetric medicine, pregnancy, pulmonary embolism

Urban Food Sources and the Challenges of Food Availability According to the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines Recommendations

The study investigated availability and food sources in urban areas using elements of the NOVA food classification system, adopted by the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines, in a Brazilian municipality. In addition, the study also aimed to identify inequalities in the geographical distribution of food retailers that commercialize healthy and/or unhealthy foods. This cross-sectional study was performed in the municipality of Jundiai in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Data from within-store audit and geographic data were used to characterizing the nutrition community environment. The mean was calculated for food items available in each of the four NOVA groups for each audited food retailer. The mean of food items available in each of the four NOVA groups for each audited food retail were calculated. The density and proportion of different types of food retailers were georeferenced. The supermarkets, medium market stores, and grocery stores presented the highest availability of unprocessed foods as well as ultra-processed foods. Establishments that sold primarily unprocessed foods and included a fruits and vegetables section at the entrance of the store had a greater availability of healthy foods, but their density in the territory was low compared to establishments that prioritized the sale of ultra-processed foods and sold ultra-processed foods in the checkout area. Especially in middle- and low-income areas, the concentration of food retailers with priority sale of ultra-processed products is reaches 22 times higher than the sale of unprocessed or minimally processed foods. The study supported the identification of regions where it was necessary to improve access to equipment that marketed unprocessed foods as a priority.

The new food classification: theory, practice and difficulties.

The objective of this work was to present the theory, propose the practice and evaluate the difficulties of the new food classification system that was presented in the second edition of the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population. The questionnaire used included a list of 30 foods divided into four groups: in natura or minimally processed foods (I), culinary ingredients (C), processed foods (P) and ultra-processed foods (U). The participants categorized the foods before and after a mini-course. The correct classification score in the Global Assessment (C, I, U, P) was significantly higher after the mini-course (Median = 23) than before the mini-course (Median = 13) (Wilcoxon Signal Test; z = -7.33; p = 0.000; Cliff's Delta δ = 0.96). The low percentage of correct answers before the mini-course justifies the wide dissemination of the theme and the need for more similar courses for students, professionals and the general population.

Vegetables and legumes in new Australasian food launches: how are they being used and are they a healthy choice?

BackgroundDespite the health benefits of regular vegetable and legume consumption, on average Australians are consuming only half of the recommended daily intake. The reasons for this low consumption are complex, and are particularly driven by societal shifts towards convenient and ready-to-eat meal options. It is currently unknown how legumes and vegetables are being utilised in food products within the Australian context, and the nutritional value or level of processing of these products.MethodsThe Mintel Global New Food Database was used to identify all new products launched between May 2012 and May 2017 in Australasia which at least 0.5 serves of vegetables and/or legumes per recommended serving. Eligible products were coded using the NOVA food classification system and the Healthy Choices guidelines, and were categorized by the researchers based on the type and proportion of vegetable and legume ingredients used.ResultsOverall, 1313 products were identified, which contained a median of 55% vegetable and legume ingredients (IQR = 45%). This translated to approximately 1 (IQR = 1) serves of vegetables and legumes per recommended serving of the products. The product launches were most likely to be classified as an ‘amber’ choice, and be classified as either ‘processed’ or ‘ultra-processed’. Vegetables and legumes were mainly found in the form of new prepared meals, soups or whole vegetables products, however there were some more innovative uses of these ingredients, such as yoghurts and pastas.ConclusionsMost of the new products currently released onto the Australian market which contain vegetable and legume ingredients do not provide meaningful amounts of these ingredients, and tend to be highly processed and unhealthier options. A multi-faceted approach is needed to improve vegetable and legume consumption, which includes improving the availability of products which help consumers to meet vegetable and legume consumption recommendations. Future research should consider the acceptability of these products to consumers, and the barriers for food manufacturers in creating products with a higher amount of vegetables and legumes.

Database of processing techniques and processing factors compatible with the EFSA food classification and description system FoodEx2 related to pesticide residues Objective 2: Linking the processing techniques investigated in regulatory studies with the EFSA food classification and description system, FoodEx2

In the framework of the project ’Database of processing techniques and processing factors compatible with the EFSA food classification and description system FoodEx2‘ a compendium of representative processing techniques was prepared as a result of Objective 1. In Objective 2 the food / feed items and processes as described in the compendium of Objective 1 were coded using the FoodEx2 coding system. The coding covers the raw agricultural commodities and the food / feed items obtained after processing. Additionally a key facet was added in order to be able to link food and feed items to the EFSA RAC (Raw Agricultural Commodity)-model. The RAC-model links the food items as coded in the consumption data to raw agricultural commodities. Food items in this model are also coded using the FoodEx2 coding system. The sources used to code the foods, feeds and processes are described, as well as the coding decisions.

Database of processing techniques and processing factors compatible with the EFSA food classification and description system FoodEx 2

Database of processing techniques and processing factors compatible with the EFSA food classification and description system FoodEx 2

Database of processing techniques and processing factors compatible with the EFSA food classification and description system FoodEx 2 Objective 3: European database of processing factors for pesticides in food

Database of processing techniques and processing factors compatible with the EFSA food classification and description system FoodEx 2 Objective 3: European database of processing factors for pesticides in food

A new food-composition database for 437 polyphenols in 19,899 raw and prepared foods used to estimate polyphenol intakes in adults from 10 European countries

Accurate assessment of polyphenol intakes is needed in epidemiologic research in order to study their health effects, and this can be particularly challenging in international study settings. The purpose of this work is to describe the procedures to prepare a comprehensive polyphenol food-composition database that was used to calculate standardized polyphenol intakes from 24-h diet recalls (24HDRs) and dietary questionnaires (DQs) in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). With the use of the comparable food classification and facet-descriptor system of the computerized 24HDR program EPIC-Soft (renamed GloboDiet), foods reported in the 24HDR (n=74,626) were first aggregated following a stepwise process. Multi-ingredient and generic foods were broken down into ingredients or more-specific foods with consideration of regional consumption habits before matching to foods in the Phenol-Explorer database. Food-composition data were adjusted by using selected retention factors curated in Phenol-Explorer. DQ foods (n=13,946) were matched to a generated EPIC 24HDR polyphenol-composition database before calculation of daily intakes from the 24HDR and DQ. Food matching yielded 2.0% and 2.7% of foods with missing polyphenol content in the 24HDR and DQ food data sets, respectively. Process-specific retention factors for 42 different polyphenol compounds were applied to adjust the polyphenol content in 35 prioritized Phenol-Explorer foods, thereby adjusting the polyphenol content in 70% of all of the prepared 24 food occurrences. A detailed food-composition database was finally generated for 437 polyphenols in 19,899 aggregated raw and prepared foods reported by 10 EPIC countries in the 24HDR. An efficient procedure was developed to build the most-comprehensive food-composition database for polyphenols, thereby standardizing the calculations of dietary polyphenol intakes obtained from different dietary assessment methods and European populations. The whole database is accessible online. This procedure could equally be used for other food constituents and in other cohorts.

Unhealthy food marketing around New Zealand schools: a national study.

This is the first nationwide analysis of food marketing around New Zealand (NZ) schools. Zones (500-m network buffers) were created around a sample of 950 schools (37.5% of total) using ArcGIS. Foods advertised were classified according to the NZ Food and Beverage Classification System and the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Nutrient Profile Model. Convenience, fast food and takeaway outlets were mapped. About 65% of foods were not permitted to be marketed to children by theWHOmodel. The median and maximum number of non-permitted foods was 16.2 per km2 and 805.9 per km2, and the median number of junk food advertisements was 10.6 per km2 for urban schools. The proportion of junk food advertisements was significantly higher around schools with the highest (50.7% vs. 37.4%, p < 0.001) compared to the lowest number of socio-economically deprived children. Sugar-sweetened beverages (N = 4584, 20.4%) and fast food (N = 4329, 19.2%) were most frequently marketed. The median and maximum number of unhealthy outlets around schools was 5 and 212, respectively. NZ schools are surrounded by unhealthy food marketing. Regulations to restrict such marketing need to be implemented.