COVER
food composition tables for the near east




CONTENTS

FAO FOOD AND NUTRITION PAPER26

a research project sponsored jointly

by

food and agriculture organization of the united nations
food policy and nutrition division
rome

and

u.s. department of agriculture
human nutrition information division
consumer nutrition center
hyattsville, md, u.s.a.

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.



P-85
ISBN 92-5-101277-6



All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Publications Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome 1982
© FAO


FOREWORD

This publication provides information about the nutrient content of foods consumed in the Near East. It was prepared jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It joins the following regional food composition publications:

Food Composition Table for Use in Latin America, 1961, by the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama, and the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense, National Institutes of Health

Food Composition Table for Use in Africa, 1968, by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Food Composition Table for Use in East Asia, 1972, by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Knowledge of the nutrient content of foods is essential for many types of nutrition research and applied nutrition projects, including the interpretation of food consumption studies, the nutritional assessment of food supplies, and the planning of nutritionally adequate diets. Appropriate nutrient data bases are not always readily available for these activities. Many scientific studies have included the measurement of nutrients in foods, and reports of these nutrient values are found throughout the scientific literature. However, assembling the available data, evaluating their reliability, and summarizing them into meaningful tabulations is, in itself, a formidable research project.

The USDA has established a computerized nutrient data bank to facilitate nutrient data base preparation. Because the FAO also is engaged in activities that use nutrient data and is actively involved in the preparation of nutrient data bases, it seemed fitting that our two organizations should mesh resources and expertise to fill acknowledged voids in food composition information. Therefore, cooperation to develop regional tables of food composition began under a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations.

The Near East was selected as the first cooperative project. Data collected by FAO were evaluated jointly and summarized by the USDA Nutrient Data Bank. Final tables were prepared and printed by FAO's computer facilities. Both organizations participated in preparing the introduction, appendices and bibliographies. Expansion of the nutrient data base, or future revisions to it, should be easily and efficiently accomplished with the flexibility of our computerized systems. We hope that this publication is only the first step in a cooperative venture between FAO and USDA toward providing food composition information at the regional level.

Zakaria I. SabryRobert L.Rizek
DirectorDirector
Food Policy and Nutrition DivisionConsumer Nutrition Center
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsHuman Nutrition Information Service
 U.S. Department of Agriculture

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The principal investigators for this project were Wanda Polacchi of the Food Policy and Nutrition Division, FAO, and Jean S. McHargue and Betty P. Perloff of the Consumer Nutrition Center, USDA. Together they coordinated the work and developed the tables and accompanying information.

Many individuals contributed to the preparation of this publication. In particular, Julien Périssé, Senior Officer, Food Policy and Nutrition Division, FAO, and Frank N. Hepburn, Leader, Nutrient Data Research Group, USDA, provided counsel and leadership; Alejandro Rius-Galindo and Atsuko Yamamoto (FAO) performed special computer programming; members of the Nutrient Data Research Group (USDA) gave assistance and advice, especially John Weihrauch, who evaluated the fatty acid data and reviewed the fatty acid table; Adele Crispoldi (FAO) researched scientific nomenclature of fish; Giuseppina Gerosa Testa (FAO) edited the bibliographies; and Sossy Shadarevian (American University of Beirut, Lebanon) provided many of the descriptions for processed foods.

Appreciation is extended to the many analysts and nutrition-related institutions in the Near East countries who generously provided unpublished data for use in these tables.

This publication may be obtained from:

Food Policy and Nutrition Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
00100 Rome, Italy

or

Consumer Nutrition Center
Human Nutrition Information Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Federal Building
Hyattsville, Maryland
20782
USA

Tables I, II and III are available in computer-readable form upon request from FAO.

Hyperlinks to non-FAO Internet sites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics.

CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction:

Origin of Data and Extent of Coverage

Presentation of Data

Criteria Used in Preparing the Tables

List of Abbreviations

Food Composition Tables:

I. Proximate Composition, Mineral and Vitamin Content of Foods

Cereals and Grain Products

Starchy Roots and Tubers

Dry Grain Legumes and Legume Products

Nuts and Seeds

Vegetables

Fruits

Sugars, Syrups and Sweets

Meat and Poultry

Eggs

Fish and Shellfish

Milk and Milk Products

Oils and Fats

Beverages

Miscellaneous

II. Amino Acid Content of Foods

Cereals and Grain Products

Dry Grain Legumes and Legume Products

Nuts and Seeds

Vegetables

Fruits

Sugars, Syrups and Sweets

Meat and Poultry

Eggs

Fish and Shellfish

Milk and Milk Products

Miscellaneous

III. Fatty Acid Content of Foods

Cereals and Grain Products

Dry Grain Legumes and Legume Products

Nuts and Seeds

Fruits

Meat and Poultry

Fish and Shellfish

Milk and Milk Products

Oils and Fats

Miscellaneous

Appendices:

1. Index of Common Names of Foods

2. Index of Scientific Names of Plants and Fish

3. Descriptions of Selected Processed Foods Included in the Tables

4. Factors Used for Calculating Energy Values of Foods by the Atwater System

Factors Used for Calculating Protein from Nitrogen Content of Foods

Lipid Conversion Factors for Calculating Fatty Acid Content of Foods

5. Estimated Distribution of Sources of Vitamin A Activity (as IU) in Various Foods

References:

Bibliography on Data Sources for the Food Composition Tables

Bibliography on Scientific Nomenclature for Plants and Fish

Bibliography on Descriptions of Selected Processed Foods