Role of food composition data in improving quality, healthiness and safety of European diets

Having access to quality and accurate compositional data about the food we eat is crucial to regulators, healthy policy makers, researchers, the food industry and the public. This 2^nd International Congress focused on how EuroFIR is contributing to this important work, providing examples of how food composition data are being used.

The EuroFIR network has now grown to 48 partners from 25 European countries and comprises nearly 200 researchers and PhD students. The project has now reached the half-way point in its five-year work programme.

Welcome and Opening Address

The Opening Address was given by Professor Antonio Sanchez Pozo, Vice Chancellor of the University of Granada. He welcomed delegates on behalf of the Rector and Governing Council of the University. He stressed the importance of the work of EuroFIR to the University of Granada’s Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology and the improved understanding of the impact of diet and nutrition on health and disease outcomes.

SESSION 1 – Wed 26^th Sept

Chairs: Paul Finglas (Institute for Food Research, UK), Prof Emilio Martinez de Victoria (University of Granada) and Prof Judy Buttriss (British Nutrition Foundation, UK).

> What has EuroFIR achieved so far?

Paul Finglas, Institute of Food Research, UK

Paul Finglas, EuroFIR coordinator, gave an overview of EuroFIR’s workplan and progress made to date. He outlined the achievements and future challenges for the project in the areas of:

·           Strengthening scientific and technological excellence;

·           Identifying and providing new information and data;

·           Spreading excellence and enhancing the impact of the network;

·           Conducting consultations;

·           Dissemination activities;

·           Future exploitation of EuroFIR outputs.

Overall, EuroFIR is working well as a Network of Excellence, it has established a pan-European platform for food composition database compilers, demonstrated the importance of well validated data and is engaging with key users and stakeholders to improve information exchange and collaboration. As a Network of Excellence, the project needs to establish sustainable structures, including commitment from existing partners and ‘buy-in’ from users and stakeholders.

> A review of research on consumer responses to nutrition information on food labels

Dr Jo Wills, The European Food Information Council (EUFIC), Brussels

Dr Jo Wills described a survey conducted by EUFIC that focussed on consumer preferences and behaviour in relation to food composition information on food labels. She emphasised that there is a widespread interest in nutrition information on food packages, but that it is difficult to measure how this affects behaviour in real-life shopping situations, where consumers spend typically no more than five seconds looking at food labels.

Take home message

Linkages exist between EuroFIR, food composition databases, nutrition labelling legislation and consumers’ ability to read, understand and use food label information. Consumers like simplified front-of-pack nutritional information, but there is currently little information about whether this leads to better eating habits. Ongoing research should help to establish this.

> Creating successful innovations at the edge of the health trends

Julio Boza, Puleva Biotech, Spain

Julio Boza is the Managing Vice-Director of Puleva Biotech, part of a group of food companies that includes the Puleva brand of dairy products. Following a decline in the market for traditional dairy products, Puleva was close to bankruptcy. In order to survive as a company, Puleva Biotech invested in research, developing fortified and functional food products, such as milks enriched with calcium and omega 3 fatty acids. Food composition data was integral to the research, development, and marketing of these products. As a result, Puleva is now a leader in the functional dairy foods market.

Take home message

The functional foods industry follows consumer demand for products that deliver health benefits and these products rely on scientific evidence to support the communication of health claims. Food composition databases are of huge importance in the development of new functional foods, affecting all key aspects of research and development, product development, nutrition and health claims, food labelling, food regulation, food safety, consumer information and marketing.

> The Spanish strategy for nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of obesity

Juan Manuel Ballesteros, Spanish Nutrition and Food Safety Agency

Juan Ballesteros described the public health strategy in Spain that focuses on both nutrition and improving activity levels, and features collaboration with many stakeholders, including the food industry. In Spain, levels of obesity have doubled in the last 20 years and fat intakes continue to rise. In addition, physical activity in both adults and children has declined and is below recommended levels. The Spanish strategy integrates nutrition and physical activity in the prevention of obesity (NAOS) and aims to take a lifelong approach to prevent and control obesity. There are four areas in which action is recommended: family and the community; schools; the private sector; and the health system. Overall it is hoped that this will allow a sustainable change towards a healthier diet and regular physical activity for all citizens, particularly children and adolescents.

Take home message

The NAOS strategy is a comprehensive policy to promote healthy diets and physical activity, involving all stakeholders.

> The new Spanish national database

Prof. Gaspar Ros, University of Murcia, Spain

Prof Gaspar Ros described the new Spanish national food composition database. Previously in Spain, a number of different food composition tables were used (in hard copy), which made it difficult to find consistent national food composition data.

In 2004, Spanish EuroFIR partners at the Universities of Granada and Barcelona and the Spanish Nutrition and Food Safety Agency (AESAN), set up a working group to create a Spanish national food composition database, known as RedBDECA. The proposed aims of RedBDECA are:

·           To identify and evaluate the main sources of food
composition data in Spain;

·           To promote communication within national groups and with EuroFIR;

·           To create a consortium to ensure the sustainability of BDECA;

·           To communicate and work with the EuroFIR Network.

Partial funding for the new database has been obtained from the Spanish government, and AESAN has signed an agreement with the University of Murcia to finance the completion of the project. The Spanish food industry has also been involved.

Take home message

This Spanish initiative shows that cooperation between several bodies, including researchers, government bodies and industry is needed to take forward the creation of a national food composition database. It is particularly difficult to gain the necessary economic support. The model used in Spain could be an example for other countries wishing to create a national food composition database.

> The LATINFOODS network

Dr Norma Samman, National University of Tucumán, Argentina

Dr Norma Samman described the work of the LATINFOODS network. LATINFOODS is the Latin American regional food composition network, co-sponsored by the FAO and UNU under the INFOODS project. The main objective of LATINFOODS is to stimulate the organisation of national networks, called national chapters, formed by highly trained professionals who, in an integrated way, produce harmonised and reliable data for national, regional and sub-regional food composition databases.

The national chapters are not all active to the same degree as, in many of them, the availability of facilities to generate new data is limited. In order to improve the situation, LATINFOODS must be consolidated by the countries of the region. This entails the strengthening of the sub-regional centers and national chapters, by means of recognition or official endorsement, and the formation of alliances with public and private organisations. The benefits of this regional strategy will allow, among other things, a reduction in the costs associated with the handling and use of food composition data. Currently, LATINFOODS is actively searching for sources of technical cooperation and financing.

Take home message

LATINFOODS is currently at a critical point in terms of its sustainability, and the national chapters are working to consolidate LATINFOODS as a network of technical cooperation. Resources and funding are currently being sought both nationally and internationally.

SESSION 2 – Wed 26^th Sept

Chairs: Paul Finglas (Institute for Food Research, UK) and Prof Judy Buttriss (British Nutrition Foundation, UK).

This session focused on progress within some of the EuroFIR work packages.

> Establishing Quality Systems for FCDBs

Dr Isabel Castanheira, National Institute of Health, Portugal

Dr Isabel Castanheira discussed why we need quality systems and the approach and policy adopted by EuroFIR. She covered the guidelines for methods of analysis, quality assessment of data, training courses and audits.

The EuroFIR quality policy is guided by two flexible approaches to ensure adherence of all partners to the quality standards, and to guarantee the transparency and sustainability of food composition databases (FCDBs). The first approach is ‘fitness for purpose’ as stated in the objectives of the EuroFIR network. The second approach is linked to satisfying the demands of users and stakeholders, which can be demonstrated by a yearly evaluation carried out by the European Commission, and by recommendations from the EuroFIR Users and Advisory Group (UAG).

Milestones and deliverables of the EuroFIR Quality Task Force, created to design, monitor and implement quality principles and practices in compliance with relevant international standards, are reported as a link between the quality methodologies and the production and organisation of reliable data.

Take home messages

EuroFIR principles and practices supporting international harmonisation of FCDBs encourage partners to maintain their own quality systems, guided by flexible approaches to enhance comparability and reliability of data over time. This is fundamental for the exchange of data across Europe and beyond.

> Challenges to the quality of Data Quality Measures

Dr Cap Jacobs, Food Data Systems Ltd, New Zealand

Dr Cap Jacobs emphasised the importance of the quality of each individual nutrient value and highlighted the fact that a measurement value is only complete once it has a quantitative statement of its degree of uncertainty, in order to determine whether the result is adequate for the intended purpose.

Take home message

Food composition databases need to move towards a state where every nutrient value has a meaningful quality value assigned to it.

> Development and implementation of the EuroFIR platform in Europe

Anders Moller, Danish Food Information, Denmark

Anders Moller described the progress with the harmonisation and standardisation of European food composition data and the current status of the EuroFIR food composition data platform.

SESSION 3 – Thurs 27^th Sept

Chairs: Prof Judy Buttriss (British Nutrition Foundation, UK) and Assoc Prof Peter Hollman (Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands).

This session began by focussing on training and ended by showcasing the work of three of the EuroFIR work packages that are producing new food composition data.

> FAO INFOODS – Training activities outside Europe

Dr Ruth Charrondiere, FAO

Dr Ruth Charrondiere talked about training activities outside Europe, in particular distance learning and short ‘crash’ courses, and the advantages and disadvantages of these versus more conventional approaches.

FAO has run a number of 2-3 week training courses on food composition data, around the world. These provide the opportunity to have direct contact with experts and for networking. However, they are very expensive to run and can only take limited numbers of delegates. In order to reduce the cost of training, and to make this available to a greater numbers of students, FAO have developed distance learning modules on food composition data that are available free of charge. Although this does not provide the opportunity for direct contact with teachers or peers, this makes the training more flexible and available to many more in the field.

Take home message

Distance learning courses in food composition data can reach a wider audience at a lower cost. These are intended to supplement, rather than replace traditional classroom courses.

> The EURRECA Network of Excellence

Dr Loek Pijls, ILSI Europe

Dr Loek Pijls outlined the ambitions of the EURRECA Network of Excellence and described potential synergies with EuroFIR. EURRECA’s overall objective is to overcome fragmentation and create a sustainable collaborative network to develop quality assured aligned nutrient recommendations across Europe. Based on this, critical micronutrients and vulnerable population groups will be identified, which will guide the development of country-specific food based dietary guidelines. In order to measure current intakes of vitamins and minerals, accurate food composition data will be needed, linking the aims of EURRECA with those of EuroFIR.

Take home message

EURRECA hopes to provide consistent nutrient recommendations across the EU. This will require the high quality food composition data that EuroFIR aims to provide.

> Training and capacity building in Central and Eastern Europe through the EuroFIR and CEE networks

Dr Mirjana Pavlovic, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Dr Mirjana Pavlovic talked about training and capacity building in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) through the EuroFIR and CEE networks. EuroFIR aims to engage with countries in this area that are not already involved in the project, but that have a national food composition database programme. A number of countries have been identified and their current activities and training needs established, using an online questionnaire. Contacts have also been established with compilers in INCO (Specific International Scientific Cooperation Activities) countries. A number of workshops and training courses have been held so far and, in the future, more specific courses will be held to address the training needs of particular CEE countries.

Take home message

Collaboration between EuroFIR, CEE and other networks provides an excellent opportunity for capacity building in training and research needs.