Food composition database (FCD) provides the nutritional composition of foods. Reliable and up-to date FCD is important in many aspects of nutrition, dietetics, health, food science, biodiversity, ...plant breeding, food industry, trade and food regulation. FCD has been used extensively in nutrition labelling, nutritional analysis, research, regulation, national food and nutrition policy. The choice of method for the analysis of samples for FCD often depends on detection capability, along with ease of use, speed of analysis and low cost. Sample preparation is the most critical stage in analytical method development. Samples can be prepared using numerous techniques; however it should be applicable for a wide range of analytes and sample matrices. There are quite a number of significant improvements on sample preparation techniques in various food matrices for specific analytes highlighted in the literatures. Improvements on the technology used for the analysis of samples by specific instrumentation could provide an alternative to the analyst to choose for their laboratory requirement. This review provides the reader with an overview of recent techniques that can be used for sample preparation and instrumentation for food analysis which can provide wide options to the analysts in providing data to their FCD.
Food composition analysis of traditional dishes could help identify populations’ dietary patterns and association with observed diseases. To deal with these purposes, recipes of the Italian region ...Abruzzo were collected from the local population, elaborated by a cooking school, and computed micro and macronutrients composition and environmental sustainability through the tool FOODCONS, following the EUROFIR standardised procedures. Food allergen content was assessed through the Healthy Meals web app. The nutritional profile of dishes varied based on ingredients type and amount. Dishes mainly based on red meat, cheese and eggs presented higher environmental impact than plant-based first and side courses, did not line up with the Mediterranean model, and contained highly cholesterol and saturated fat content, which contribute to atherogenic risk. On the other hand, one portion of each dish provided an adequate contribution to Dietary References Values (DRVs). Gluten, soy, eggs, and milk food were identified as most prominent allergens, as poor ingredients used in traditional recipes. Our results contribute to enrichment of the Italian compiled Food Composition Database (cFCDB) and allow us to know local dietary patterns through an easily achievable method, inform consumers about dietary health impact and lead them to a major awareness.
•Nutritional quality of 17 traditional Italian dishes of Abruzzo was evaluated;•Adequacy to MD, allergen content, and environmental impact were also assessed;•Dietary contribution of traditional dishes to the reference values was considered;•New nutritional data were provided for the Italian Food Composition Database;•The proposed method is feasible, reliable, scalable, and engaging for local societies.
The current definition of dietary fibre was adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2009, but implementation requires updating food composition databases with values based on appropriate ...analysis methods. Previous data on population intakes of dietary fibre fractions are sparse. We studied the intake and sources of total dietary fibre (TDF) and dietary fibre fractions insoluble dietary fibre (IDF), dietary fibre soluble in water but insoluble in 76 % aqueous ethanol (SDFP) and dietary fibre soluble in water and soluble in 76 % aqueous ethanol (SDFS) in Finnish children based on new CODEX-compliant values of the Finnish National Food Composition Database Fineli. Our sample included 5193 children at increased genetic risk of type 1 diabetes from the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention birth cohort, born between 1996 and 2004. We assessed the intake and sources based on 3-day food records collected at the ages of 6 months, 1, 3 and 6 years. Both absolute and energy-adjusted intakes of TDF were associated with age, sex and breast-feeding status of the child. Children of older parents, parents with a higher level of education, non-smoking mothers and children with no older siblings had higher energy-adjusted TDF intake. IDF was the major dietary fibre fraction in non-breastfed children, followed by SDFP and SDFS. Cereal products, fruits and berries, potatoes and vegetables were major food sources of dietary fibre. Breast milk was a major source of dietary fibre in 6-month-olds due to its human milk oligosaccharide content and resulted in high SDFS intakes in breastfed children.
•Nutrient data for five different German beer styles are updated.•Significant differences are found for vitamins, elements and macronutrients.•RDI% is higher for niacin, vitamin B6 and folate than in ...previous database entries.
Scientific data of nutrient variations in different beer styles are scarce. This study focuses on characterizing German beer styles in regard to their differences in nutrient composition and aims to improve available data for the calculation of nutritional value. 25 retail beer samples of five different German beer styles (Pilsner beer, wheat beer, crystal wheat beer, export beer, dark beer) were analyzed for their nutrient content. Overall this survey revealed significant differences (p<0.05) in the proximate composition (ash, protein, ethanol, glucose), vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6) and elements (copper, manganese) for the chosen beer styles. The benefit of these new data is exemplified by the calculation of the nutritional supply for average beer consumption and compared with previous data. For the average beer consumer, this study gives higher values for the percentage of daily nutrient recommendation of niacin, vitamin B6 and folate, whereas lower values are given for alcohol and elements like copper and iodine. Our findings demonstrate that these new data provide an improved basis for nutritional value calculation in future consumption studies.
•Niacin was analysed after extraction with acid or acid–alkaline hydrolysis.•An improved UHPLC–FL method with post-column derivatization was developed.•Cereal flours with more bran fractions contain ...higher niacin levels.•Acid–alkaline hydrolysis results in much higher niacin content than acid hydrolysis.•The niacin content in the databases reflects total, partly not bioaccessible niacin.
The niacin content of cereal raw materials reported in food-composition databases often differs considerably. One major reason for this discrepancy is the analytical method used for its measurement is that a significant part of the niacin in cereals exists in bound form. In this study, we compared the niacin content of some representative cereal raw materials analysed with a sensitive and validated ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–fluorescence method against the values found in five national food-composition databases. We used established extraction methods that are assumed to liberate niacin available for absorption (acid hydrolysis mimicking human digestion) or total niacin (strong acid–alkaline hydrolysis). The niacin content (mg/100 g dry weight) obtained with acid hydrolysis ranged from a low level in corn flour (0.26), white wheat flour (0.45) and oat flakes (0.48), to a higher level in wholegrain flours (rye: 0.79, barley: 0.99, wheat: 0.88), wheat bran (2.7) and wheat germ (2.7). The niacin content with the acid–alkaline hydrolysis, however, was 1.9–11-fold the value measured after extraction with acid hydrolysis. In general, the niacin content found in the databases is closer to the results obtained after the acid–alkaline extraction, suggesting that the niacin values reported in the databases may not reflect actual bioaccessible niacin but total niacin.
While consumers are increasingly adopting plant-based meat and dairy imitation products, the nutritional quality and adequacy of those foods to act as a substitute is still under discussion. The ...Greek Branded Food Composition Database (HelTH) was expanded to map currently available meat and dairy imitations in Greece. Their main ingredient used, nutritional composition, and promotion as a healthy, nutritious food were described, and their overall nutritional quality using the Nutri-Score algorithm was evaluated. A total of
= 421 plant-based imitations were analyzed, made primarily of wheat or wheat mixes (83.5%) for meat imitations and grain (19.8%) or vegetable oil (17.1%) for dairy imitations. All meat imitations were high in protein and fiber, while, for dairy, only yogurts carried a protein content claim (80.9%). Imitation sausages, milk, and yogurt products had lower total fat and saturated fat content compared to their animal-based counterparts. All dairy imitations had lower protein content than animal-based dairy. The nutritional quality of imitation cheeses was graded as D-E, under the Nutri-Score system, compared to A-C for the animal-based cheese. Plant-based imitations have variable composition based on their main ingredient, and the substitution of specific food groups with plant-based alternatives may not support an equivalent or improved diet.
•Levels of 4 microminerals were analysed in 141 food items ‘as consumed’ in Nigeria.•The food items have similar mineral content to those previously reported elsewhere.•Several local food items were ...identified to be very rich in these microminerals.•Adult dietary intakes of these minerals through foods were within safe limits.•Data provided is useful for consumer risk assessment and food composition table.
The levels of some microminerals – copper, manganese, iron and zinc – were determined in 605 individual food samples representing 141 different foods across 11 food groups. The samples were collected ‘as consumed’ from ten towns and cities located in Ogun State and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. They were analysed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry after dry ashing procedure. The levels (mg/100g fresh weight) of these minerals ranged from non-detectable (nd) to 3.00, nd to 3.85, 0.042 to 16.5 and 0.014 to 13.2 for copper, manganese, iron and zinc, respectively in the diverse foods. At the food group level, the mean mineral levels were significantly different (P < 0.05) from one another. The mineral concentration data obtained from most of these foodstuffs are similar to those available in reports from other countries around the world. Using the mainly data obtained from the foods analysed, estimate of the adult mean daily mineral intakes (mg/person/day) were 2.7 ± 1.0, 3.7 ± 1.7, 22.3 ± 7.8 and 8.7 ± 3.4 for copper, manganese, iron and zinc, respectively. These mean intakes are within international recommendations and thus indicate safety of consumers. The data obtained from this study is useful in updating the Nigerian food composition database.
The availability of nutrition applications (apps) has increased in recent years. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of nutrient intake calculations from some of the leading apps.
We ...identified five apps according to some selection criteria: >4-star ratings, >1 million downloads, including a food composition database, and in Italian language. Apps were used for 2 wk each. Using a 3-d food diary, the nutritional values obtained from each app were compared to a reference method including the Food Composition Database for Epidemiologic Studies in Italy. Energy intake differences were calculated for single nutrient and 3-d food diary between single app and reference method after food-item matching. Bland–Altman plots were used to assess agreement of the methods.
Apps identified were FatSecret, Lifesum, MyFitnessPal, Yazio, and Melarossa. Apps tended to underestimate total energy intake compared with the reference method, from a minimum of –2 kcal for Lifesum, to a maximum of –5.4 kcal for Yazio (average per item). Apps tended to underestimate lipids, and to a lesser extent carbohydrate and fiber intake, except for Yazio and Lifesum, which overestimated the intake of protein. These discrepancies appear to be due to the use of no country-specific food composition databases and to user customization of the food list.
The present findings suggest that the leading nutrition apps present critical issues in assessing the intake of energy and nutrients. Implementation of a framework for quality assessment is necessary to drive the design and development of higher-quality apps. Further research on efficacy and use of apps to monitor food intake is also warranted and some recommendations are provided.
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•Leading nutrition applications (apps) present critical issues in assessing nutrient intake.•The nutrition apps analyzed in the present study tended to underestimate the intake of energy and lipids.•The results found that protein intake is generally overestimated.•The cause of incorrect estimation may be linked to food composition databases.•The improper use of nutrition apps can affect nutritional status.
•The diet in rural areas in Bolivia is mainly based in plant-source food.•High concentrations of phytate were found in the most consumed food in Bolivia.•Quinoa has the highest concentration of ...minerals but also the highest of phytates.•Phytate levels inhibit zinc, iron, calcium absorption, shown by their molar ratios.
The content of zinc, iron, calcium and phytate in the 16 most consumed foods from 5 villages in a tropical rural area of Bolivia was analyzed. The food items were selected according to a completed food frequency questionnaire. Minerals were analyzed by atomic absorption and phytates by HPIC chromatography. The molar ratios of phytate:mineral are presented as indication of the mineral bioavailability. Within the analyzed food, quinoa is a potential source of minerals: zinc 3.65, iron 5.40 and calcium 176mg/100g; however, it also has the highest content of phytate 2060mg/100g. Cereals and legumes showed high concentration of phytates (from 142 to 2070mg/100g), roots and tubers have lower concentrations (from 77 to 427mg/100g). In general, both phytate contents and molar ratios Phy:Zn (phytate:zinc), Phy:Fe (phytate:iron) and Phy:Ca (phytate:calcium) in most of the analyzed foods were at levels likely to inhibit the absorption of these minerals. Significant positive associations (p<0.01) were found between the level of phytate and minerals in food, for zinc (r=0.714), iron (r=0.650) and calcium (r=0.415). The results compared to data from USA or from Bolivia showed some discrepancies, confirming the need for more reliable data for dietary evaluations and interventions.
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