Background to INFOODS

The International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS) was established in 1984 on the basis of the recommendations of an international group convened under the auspices of the United Nations University (UNU). Since 1990, FAO has taken an active role in INFOODS and since 1999 served as coordinator. INFOODS is also one of the Task Forces of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS). Its goal is to stimulate and coordinate efforts to improve the quality and worldwide availability of food analysis data and to ensure that anyone anywhere would be able to obtain adequate and reliable food composition data. In addition to these purposes, INFOODS has provided leadership and administrative framework for the development of standards and guidelines for collection, compilation, and reporting of food component data. It is establishing and coordinating a global network of regional data centers directed towards the generation, compilation and dissemination of accurate and complete data on food composition. It is also the generator and repository of special international databases and serves as a general and specific resource for persons and organizations interested in food composition data on a worldwide basis. INFOODS has developed the necessary software for the electronic storage of food composition data and interchange among databases. INFOODS’ effort is intrinsically interdisciplinary, depending on the efforts of food scientists, analytical chemists, and nutritionists working together with computer and information scientists.

INFOODS and FAO are currently promoting food biodiversity and the collection of compositional and food consumption data at variety, cultivar and breed level, as well as data on wild and underutilized foods. Through this approach, it is hoped that food biodiversity will be mainstreamed in nutrition programmes and policies. The CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Cross-cutting Initiative on Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition was established in 2006 as a response to an emerging global consensus that (1) the simplification of diets, the growing incidence of chronic diseases related to nutritionally-poor, energy-rich diets and the decline in the use of locally available foods are linked; and that (2) biodiversity is the source of many foods and dietary components that can reverse this unhealthy trend. As scientists and policymakers recognize that food biodiversity is essential for food and nutrition security and that it can make a major contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, it is now becoming a feature in nutrition programmes and interventions. During the recent years, the increase in the number of relevant foods reported by food composition databases and in food consumption surveys indicate that governments, researchers, farmers, food industries and consumers are becoming more aware of the role that biodiversity plays in nutrition. This increase can be expected to lead to greater conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, to improve food and nutrition security (FAO 2008; FAO 2010).

INFOODS Achievements