Food composition data describes the content of energy, macro and micronutrients in foods and beverages. These types of data also sometimes include non-nutrients such as phytochemicals, bio-active compounds, anti-nutrients, or toxic components.
Food composition data is centralized in food compositions tables and databases (FCDBs).
WHY IS FOOD COMPOSITION DATA IMPORTANT?
Reliable food composition data is essential for all nutrition-related activities and is required by a wide range of users, including researchers and policy makers, manufacturers, dieticians, consumers and patients to support:
- the development of agriculture, health an nutrition policies and programmes;
- research and evidence-based decision making for nutrition by governments, organizations and the food industry;
- informed consumer choices, helping all people, everywhere, eat a healthy diet.
HOW ARE FCDBs PREPARED?
Ideally, FCDBs should be prepared based on analytical data from representative food samples.
Chemical analysis should be carried out by trained analysts using validated methods and quality assurance procedures. However, food analysis is costly and time consuming, so most FCDBs also include analytical data compiled from published literature or unpublished laboratory reports, borrowed values from other FCDBs, and inputted or calculated values.
WHY SHOULD FCDBs BE COUNTRY-SPECIFIC?
Nutrient content in foods can vary significantly because of environmental, genetic and processing influences such as feed, soil, climate, genetic resources (varieties/cultivars, breeds), storage conditions, processing, fortification, and market share.
Additionally, each country has a unique consumption pattern resulting in country-specific foods, cooking methods, and recipes that influence nutrient composition.
WHAT ARE THE KEY ASPECTS WHEN GENERATING HIGH-QUALITY FCDBs?
High-quality food composition data should be produced by trained professionals, following international standards and guidelines to ensure reliability and comparability. FCDBs should be representative of national food habits and consumption patterns and include a comprehensive coverage of nutrients. In addition, regular updates are necessary to reflect changes in dietary trends and food availability.
WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF FAO AND INFOODS IN FOOD COMPOSITION DATA?
Even though more than one hundred countries have published at least one FCDB, many still face challenges in generating and maintaining reliable and up-to-date food composition data.
To better support countries in overcoming these challenges, FAO coordinates the International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS), a voluntary global network of food composition experts that promotes international cooperation in acquiring and disseminating reliable food composition data tailored to the diverse needs of users.
FAO and INFOODS support:
- the preparation of new or updated national, regional or global food composition tables;
- the generation and/or dissemination of data on the composition of foods and beverages;
- the identification and compilation of existing food composition data;
- the development of international standards, guidelines and tools on the generation, compilation and use of food composition data;
- technical guidance and the development of capacities on food composition;
- technical exchange between experts working in the field of food composition.