Methods
Development of food composition tables is a specific process of recipes’ selection, food item categorization, nutrient selection, selection of the method of nutrient analysis, food sampling, food analysis, and outcome presentation. Firstly, recipes’ selection is based on the frequency of recipes’ consumption in a specific culture. Secondly, the recipes are categorized according to the major contributing food item. The food is sampled in standardized serving size (e.g. 1 cup, spoon) then the sample is collected, handled carefully and analyzed for a specific nutrient content in analytical laboratories. Some nutrients are estimated from analytical values obtained for a similar food, others are calculated for food ingredients taking into consideration the preparation factors. In addition, some foods and their nutrient profile are available in other food composition tables from other countries, or from manufacturers’ data, which may serve as a source for nutrient identification. The resulting nutrients are assigned to the recipe, categorized, and presented in a comprehensive table.
Assuring high-quality data of food composition tables is of high importance, therefore the process is thoroughly documented, repeatedly checked, and validated according to international standards. Furthermore, the data must be will be instead of must be methods of food consumption and cultural changes of the cuisine.
