Food Composition Databanks Research Articles

Nutrient Composition of Nine Festival Dishes Obtained from A Recipe Survey Among Lower to Middle-Income Households in Selected Urban Areas

Background and Objectives: Estimation of nutrient content of a recipe by a recipe calculation method may be cost‐effective and alternative to the chemical analysis for a range of applications, laboratory analysis of standardized recipes is considered a more authentic and accurate source of recipe nutrient data. Food composition data (FCD) regarding festival foods and dishes is very scanty in local and global food composition tables (FCT). The present study, thus, conducted a recipe survey on the ingredient profile of festival recipes consumed by lower to middle-income households in Bangladesh followed by proximate analysis of standard recipes obtained by collapsing similar recipes. Unanalyzed nutrients were obtained by data compilation from local and global food composition databanks (FCDB). Methodology: A cross-sectional recipe survey was conducted sequentially on festival foods and dishes among purposefully selected housewives residing at different areas of Dinajpur district and Dhaka city. The study instrument was a structured pre-tested questionnaire. Nine homemade festival recipes out of 40 recipes cited viz., plain polao, beef bhuna, fish fry, chicken bhuna, payesh, beef biriyani, chinese vegetable, chicken roast and baked fish were selected and standardized according to the method established in our laboratory. The selected recipes were prepared and analyzed for proximate composition along with an estimation of the cooking yield factor. Content of moisture, ash, protein, total fat, total dietary fiber (TDF), available carbohydrates, and calorie values of nine selected dishes were determined using standard operating procedures (SOP) established on the basis of AOAC methods. Precision and accuracy of analytical values were checked as part of Quality Assurance Program (QAP). Data compilation of missing values for vitamins and minerals was conducted according to FAO data compilation toolkit. Result: Moisture content ranges from 30.42-70.75%, protein content ranges from 2.60-35.70%, fat content ranges from 2.61-22.53%, ash content ranges from 0.6241-8.8%, TDF ranges from 0.58-8.49%, carbohydrates ranges from 0.65-45.7% and energy content ranges 101.5-368.4 kcal/100g fresh sample. The cooking yield ranges from 40.96-96.82%, which is highest in plain polao and lowest in fish fry. Conclusion: The data generated from this study can be used as reliable data which will enrich the national food composition table. Bioresearch Commu. 10(2): 1516-1523, 2024 (July)

Impact of Danish ban of industrial produced trans fatty acids on serum cholesterol levels 1993-2006

Abstract Industrially produced trans fatty acids (ITFA) increase the LDL:HDL ratio and hereby the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, ITFA has been reduced in Western Europe over the last decades but is still high in Eastern Europe and in subgroups of the EU population. Regulatory interventions are the only way to minimize ITFA intake for all. The Danish ITFA ban (2004) can elucidate the impact of elimination of ITFA on CVD. In Denmark cardiac mortality declined by 70% through 1980-2009. Data on ITFA intake and blood lipids from the 1990s, where the average Danish ITFA intake was about 3 g/d, and up to today are needed to study the correlation between intake of ITFA and serum cholesterol (CHOL). The Danish food composition databank has been updated with TFA intake values. Hereby the correlation between ITFA intake and CHOL level in Denmark from 1993 -2006 can be investigated. Methods Ecological analyses of ITFA and CHOL in participants from 3 cohorts: Diet, Cancer and Health (1993-1997); n = 57,054; 50-64 yrInter99 (1999-2001); n = 6,784, 30-60 yrHealth 2006 (2006); n = 3,471, 18-69 yr Results ITFA-intake was 0.02 g/d in Inter99. Data will be extended to include ITFA intake data of all cohorts as well as age adjusted correlations with CHOL. Mean CHOL all men (n = 31,675) declined from 6.3 ± 1.0 in 1993 to 5.4± 1.0 in 2006 Mean CHOL all women (n = 34,675) declined from 6.6 ± 1.5 in 1993 to 5.4± 1.1 in 2006 Similar declines were found in participants without self-reported hypercholesterolemia: Mean CHOL men (n = 28,999) declined from 6.1 ± 0.9 in 1993 to 5.1± 1.0 in 2006 Mean CHOL women (n = 32,593) declined from 6.5 ± 1.5 in 1993 to 5.2± 1.1 in 2006 There was a significant decrease in CHOL (p < 0.0001) from 1993, where average Danish intake of ITFA was about 3 g/d to 2006 where ITFA was banned Conclusions Data show a non-treatment related significant decline in CHOL. Data from 2000 and 2006 are collected in younger populations, which may explain lower CHOL levels. Key messages Cholesterol decline significantly in Danish participants simultaneously with ITFA elimination. Results are important for decision makers in countries which consider ITFA regulation.

Comparison between analyzed and calculated nutrient content of fast foods using two consecutive versions of the Danish food composition databank: FOODCOMP and FRIDA

The objective of this study was to compare the content of selected nutrients of fast foods determined by chemical analysis versus estimated by recipe calculation based on data from two versions of the Danish food composition databank, FOODCOMP and the latest FRIDA. A total of 155 samples of ready-to-eat fast foods were collected from fast food outlets, separated into their components and weighed. Typical components were bread, French fries, vegetables, meat and dressings. The fast foods were analyzed, and energy, protein, saturated fat, iron, thiamin, potassium and sodium contents were compared to recipe calculation. When using the FOODCOMP in recipe calculation, the error percentage was largest for saturated fat (28%). When using FRIDA, the error percentage for saturated fat decreased to 11% and was below 15% for all nutrients. The correlations ranged from 0.49 to 0.89 with both databanks. For the individual fast foods, the error percentages were both acceptable (<15%) and large (>50%). Future challenges for the databank in relation to recipe calculation are to include more varieties, a better coverage of foods used as ingredients, and inclusion of analytical values of mixed dishes if they are commonly eaten from fast food outlets.

Food Composition Tables-The Indian Journey

The food composition database provides detailed information on the nutritional composition of foods; information on food and nutrition composition has always been proved beneficial for solving variety of purposes. The interrelationship of food and human health has given rise to the concept of Food Composition Databank. Food composition databanks are country or region specific. India is among the different nations who have its own food composition database; Indian Food Composition Table (IFCT) is popularly known as Nutritive Value of Indian Food. The Indians have their food composition data first published in the year 1971. The new IFCTs (2017) have been prepared and published by the expert team of Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Nutrition NIN scientists as authentic and ‘India Specific Source’ of Food Composition data required for all types of nutritional activities in India.

New multipliers for estimating the phenylalanine content of foods from the protein content

Phenylalanine (Phe) is a key nutrient in the dietary management of phenylketonuria (PKU). Since the protein content of many foods is readily available, estimating the Phe content of a food is facilitated by an understanding of the statistical distribution of the Phe:protein ratio in common foods. In particular, from the minimum and maximum Phe:protein ratio, one can obtain an upper bound and a lower bound on the Phe content of any given food from its protein content. Currently, the multipliers commonly used are 30 and 50. In this document, we present and compare the statistical distribution of the Phe:protein ratio in two databases, namely the USDA National Nutrient Database and the Danish Food Composition Databank. Based on this data, we suggest replacing the 30–50 multipliers by 20–65. When used to estimate the Phe content from the protein content, these multipliers yield estimates that are correct for more than 97% of the data analyzed (as opposed to less than 76.3% for the multipliers 30–50). Furthermore, we confirm that the commonly used average of Phe:protein ratio for the foods in the categories of fruits (30) and vegetables (40) are more or less accurate.

Exploring the association between dietary patterns and the presence of Age‐related Macular Degeneration

Age‐related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Europe. The role of nutritional factors in the prevention of disease are not clear, in part due to difficulties in obtaining comparable nutrient intake values, in international, multi‐centre studies. EuroFIR (European Food Information Resource) eSearch platform, including more than twenty national food composition databanks, was used to examine whether specific nutrient antioxidants, fat, protein, and carbohydrates from natural food sources of different geographic origins accounted for association between AMD and dietary patterns. A cohort study was used. Participants, caucasian men and women aged over 55 selected by a AMD specialist, completed the FFQ in an interview mode during their clinical visit to a specialized eye center.In patients who consumed a diet rich in total fat, a correlation between the choroid thickness and AMD was found (p‐value&lt; 0,001). Clinical Nutrition studies, covering natives from Sao Tome and Principe are in progress as a contribution to understand if racial differences associated with dietary patterns affected the pathogenesis of AMD and other eye diseases.

Six Sigma scale as a quality criterion for aggregation of food property measures

The EuroFIR (European Food Information Resource) quality management framework is a recent development to process standardization in data compilation for European Food Composition Data Banks. Data aggregation procedures taken from scientific literature as well as from analytical laboratory reports are still under discussion; however, the Six Sigma concept may be a useful approach, and therefore this work evaluates the concept. The Six Sigma approach was applied directly to analytical data taken from both laboratory reports and scientific literature. Sigma levels are calculated as indicators of laboratory test performance and the approach for data and laboratory selection is discussed. The results provide additional information on the quality of analytical data, allowing compilers and users to assess bias and imprecision for single and aggregate values. The Six Sigma approach is a complementary methodology to the quality methodologies already in use for data compilation processes and can be applied to further improve data quality.

Disaggregating composite food codes in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey food composition databank

To disaggregate composite food codes used in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) into their individual food components in order to provide a more complete estimate of intake at the individual food level. A total of 3216 composite food codes from the NDNS food composition databank were subject to disaggregation. The main food components used were meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and cheese, which were further divided into 26 subcategories. It was shown that previous determination of meat containing composite food codes provided an overestimate of meat intake and underestimate of additional components such as fruit and vegetables. By incorporating disaggregated data into NDNS, variations will be seen in consumption of some main food groups, but these variations may be also attributable to trends in consumption.

LanguaL Food Description: a Learning Process

The European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) Network of Excellence (http://www.eurofir.eu) aims to provide validated food composition data (FCD) from European food composition databanks. However, the network covers 27 countries with different languages and food cultures, making comparisons difficult. Moreover, in 2005, only 25% of the databases included international food classification or food description. To overcome some of the challenges, it was decided to use the LanguaL thesaurus (http://www.langual.org) to index (systematically describe) and link the foods in European food composition databases (FCDBs). To facilitate food indexing, LanguaL Food Product Indexer software was introduced and several short (1-2 days) food indexing courses for FCD compilers from all participating countries were organised. Feedback between the LanguaL Technical Committee and the FCD compilers allowed the latter to improve their food indexing skills. In turn, the compilers proposed new descriptors and translations for the thesaurus. The result was a set of more than 26,000 foods in national databases and 2360 foods in specialised data sets that were LanguaL indexed and thus able to be linked to the EuroFIR network. Both the EuroFIR network and the individual FCD compilers benefit from standardised food description, allowing foods to be linked and compared across borders and language barriers. The LanguaL thesaurus has, in turn, benefited from the expertise of the FCDB compilers from different cultures.

Quality control materials development for proximate composition determination in baby foods to enhance the Portuguese food composition database: Packaging conditions

Food matrix reference materials play an important role in the quality of data used in food composition databanks concerning the precision, trueness and accuracy of analytical values. In this work the feasibility studies according to ISO 34 ( ISO, 2000) of two commercial baby foods (ready-to-eat baby soup and milk-based powdered infant formula) were evaluated to check for their suitability as quality control materials for the analysis of moisture, protein, fat, ash and acidity. The suitability of plastic packaging materials to guarantee the reference materials’ characteristics is discussed. Official methods of analysis were used to evaluate the homogeneity and to monitor short-term and long-term stability studies. ANOVA was carried out to confirm homogeneity within and between samples. ISO 34 method was applied to monitor stability at different temperatures. The coefficients of variation obtained between sachets for milk-based powdered infant formula were less than 4.4% for moisture and 0.5% for fat. The stability data over 8.5 months storage period at 20 °C, 5 °C and −20 °C and −70 °C indicate that both materials are stable depending on the parameter studied and temperature. According to results, quality control materials (QCMs) prepared in agreement with ISO 34 requirements are a valuable tool in food composition analysis.

Harmonisation of recipe calculation procedures in European food composition databases

Within EuroFIR, the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) project, the European Network of Excellence on Food Composition Databank systems, a standard recipe calculation procedure has been developed for use with European food composition databases. This project reviewed the most commonly used recipe calculation procedures together with the examples of recipe calculation procedures used by European databases. The review showed that the most commonly used method was a procedure that applies a yield factor for weight at the recipe level and retention factors for nutrient values at the ingredient level. This commonly used procedure was selected as the recommended EuroFIR recipe calculation procedure. The benefits of harmonised recipe calculation procedures include improved quality, availability and compatibility of food composition data through the documentation of the recipe ingredients, the recipe calculation procedures, yield factors and retention factors.

Sampling of bread for added sodium as determined by flame photometry

Sodium content in bread is a growing interest in public health. This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of sampling in the dispersion of salt content in bread. Ten brands of bread representing the consumed types were collected from the largest retail places in Portugal. Their sodium and potassium contents were determined using flame photometry. The ratio sodium/potassium was used as an indicator of salinity. Sodium content varied from 490 ± 21 to 724 ± 9/100 g of white bread. Data from uncertainty budgets demonstrated that sampling is the dominant contributor (>55%). According to our results for sodium in bread, to pool samples from different sampling points can disguise the heterogeneity of the results. Therefore, the importance of the number of primary sample units and of the identification of sampling points is highlighted. This provides the necessary information to the users of Food Composition Databanks who wish to have an overview of the parameters, which influence the estimation of sodium intake values, which may affect the diet-disease relationship.

Quality control materials in food composition databanks

Reference materials (RMs) have emerged with the aim of improving analytical methods performance, in what regards to their validation, calibration, uncertainty, training and internal quality control, and of increasing the comparability of measurements between laboratories. Due to their unquestionable importance, but still low availability and high cost, the present work has determined the suitability of infant formula, powdered garlic, tea and infusion as quality control materials for phosphorus analysis. Phosphorous was determined using a spectrometric method. Homogeneity and stability were determined within and between samples according with ISO guidelines. The results show that quality control materials prepared under rigorous procedures are valuable tools in the food composition analysis.

Improving data quality in food composition databanks: a EuroFIR contribution

Food composition databanks (FCDBs) should provide nutrient composition data comparable over time at national and international levels. However, the linkage between national database compilers and permanent structures to support the upgrading and monitoring of nutrient values in foods are far from satisfactory. This paper focuses on European efforts to improve the quality of nutrient values entered into FCDBs, emphasizing initiatives under the EU Network of Excellence: European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR – NoE). The general concept of quality assurance is described and results obtained in the project’s first year are presented. A survey among EuroFIR partners aimed at evaluating the current situation in comparability of nutrient values suggests that an integrated approach has two requirements: the implementation of a quality management system (QMS) and a harmonized data-quality assessment system (DQAS) to select values from different sources. The use of reference materials (RMs) is a key criterion in deciding on comparability and reliability of candidate nutrient values. Consequently, results of a survey on food matrix reference materials are presented. These suggest that developments in RMs for nutrient analysis in foods have a great impact on the quality of data to be included in FCDBs.

A proposal to demonstrate a harmonized quality approach to analytical data production by EuroFIR

Analytical results are a major source of data input into food composition databanks (FCDBs). However, the methodology used to obtain and assess analytical data may introduce imprecision and errors during the compilation process. EuroFIR will provide guidance on establishing appropriate quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) of data to support international harmonisation of a quality approach to analytical data production for FCDBs. Aspects based on reliability and comparability of data will be considered using available quality criteria such as implementation of EN ISO/IEC 17025 or good laboratory practice (GLP), sampling plan, sample handling, correct use of reference materials, traceability of the measurement process and participation in proficiency testing. To promote an improved understanding of quality criteria by all EuroFIR partners, examples of available quality information for FCDB data (by food item and component) will be disseminated. This will ensure a global consensus on what constitutes a fit-for-purpose FCDB data quality system in order to achieve similar interpretation of analytical results across the European Union and beyond.

Fatty acid composition of French butters, with special emphasis on conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are fatty acids primarily found in dairy products. These fatty acids may have potential biological properties interesting for human health. Update of French food composition data banks was needed to determine CLA levels in French dairy products and to evaluate CLA intake by the French population. As part of this investigation, we analyzed 54 butters from local producers at different times of the year. The average CLA levels in butter were 0.45 g CLA/100 g butter in winter, 0.58 in spring, and 0.80 in summer. Regional variations of CLA levels in butters were observed from different producing areas in France. Butters from hill and mountain regions, and butters from Normandy, a prairie land, showed the highest annual average CLA levels and the largest magnitudes of variations from winter to summer. During the study, we also analyzed the total fatty acid composition of the butters, including the seasonal and regional variations. Butters produced from summer milks contained more unsaturated long chain fatty acids and less saturated middle chain fatty acids than the winter butters. Butters from mountain areas and from Normandy (prairie) showed larger differences from winter to summer than those from other prairie lands. These differences may be due to the polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, and especially to the linoleic acid levels, in the cow diets.

Dietary lactose intake, lactose intolerance, and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in southern Ontario (Canada)

A case-control study of dietary factors and cancer of the ovary was conducted during 1989-92 in metropolitan Toronto and surrounding areas of southern Ontario, Canada. Four hundred and fifty women aged 35-79 years, with newly diagnosed, histologically verified, primary epithelial ovarian-cancer were interviewed concerning reproduction and diet. Over the same period, 564 randomly-selected population controls, frequency-matched to the cases within three 15-year age groups, also were interviewed. From information obtained by quantitative diet history, average daily macro- and micronutrient intake values were calculated through use of the United States Department of Agriculture Food Composition Databank, which was extended and modified for Canadian items and recipes. Analysis was performed with continuous, unconditional logistic-regression methods, adjusting for age at interview, number of full-term pregnancies, total duration of oral contraceptive use, and total daily caloric intake. Neither reported history of lactose intolerance, nor average daily consumption of lactose or free galactose, were found to be associated with risk of ovarian cancer. Lactose intake or intolerance did not appear to modify the protective effects of parity and oral contraceptive use. Nevertheless, other studies suggest that ovarian galactose metabolism still may have a relationship with risk of ovarian cancer, though more evidence is needed.

Dietary factors and the incidence of cancer of the stomach.

A case-control study of diet and stomach cancer was conducted during 1979-1982 in Toronto, Winnipeg, and St. John's Canada. Two hundred forty-six histologically verified cancer cases were individually matched by age, sex, and area of residence to 246 randomly selected population controls. Daily nutrient consumption values were calculated from quantitative diet history questionnaire data through use of the US Department of Agriculture Food Composition Data Bank, which was extended and modified for Canadian items. For the analysis, continuous conditional logistic regression methods were used. It was found that consumption of dietary fiber was associated with decreased risk of gastric cancer; the odds ratio estimate of trend was 0.40/10 g average daily intake of fiber (i.e., 0.40(1.5)/15 g, etc.) (p less than 10(-8)). Also, average daily consumption of nitrite, chocolate, and carbohydrate was associated with increasing trends in risk, with odds ratio estimates, respectively, 2.6/mg (p less than 10(-4)), 1.8/10 g (p less than 10(-4)), and 1.5/100 g (p = 0.015). While citrus fruit intake appeared to be somewhat protective (odds ratio = 0.75/100 g daily average, p = 0.0056), vitamin C intake was less so, and vitamin E not at all. Thus, a number of dietary components seem to be implicated in the pathogenesis of stomach cancer.