Nutritional quality of Australian breakfast cereals. Are they improving?

Abstract Objective: The Food Quality Observatory was created in the province of Quebec (Canada) in 2016. In this study, the Observatory aimed to generate a methodology to (1) test the use of sales data combined with nutrient values to characterise the nutritional composition of ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals offered and purchased in the province of Quebec (Canada) and (2) verify the extent to which a front-of-pack label based on the percentage of daily value (DV) for total sugar, as a strategy to improve the food supply, would be distributed in this food category. Design: Nutritional information were obtained by purchasing each RTE breakfast cereal available in the Greater Montreal area. Cereals were then classified according to their processing type. Setting: The nutritional values of 331 RTE breakfast cereals available in Quebec were merged with sales data covering the period between May 2016 and May 2017. A total of 306 products were successfully cross-referenced. Results: Granola and sweetened cereals were the most available (36·6 % and 19·6 %, respectively) and purchased (19·8 % and 40·9 % of sales, respectively). When compared with other types of cereals, granola cereals had a higher energy, fat, saturated fat, protein content and a lower Na content. A larger proportion of chocolate (65 %) and sweetened cereals (49 %) were above 15 % of the DV for sugar. Conclusions: This study showed that the methodology developed generates important data to monitor nutritional quality of the food supply and ultimately contribute to improve the nutritional quality of processed foods.

Download Full-text

Nutritional quality of biscuits, breakfast cereals and sweet snacks sold in Italy: the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) study

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120005194 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Donato Angelino ◽

Alice Rosi ◽

Margherita Dall'Asta ◽

Nicoletta Pellegrini ◽

Daniela Martini

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Quality ◽

Principal Component ◽

Product Category ◽

Food Products ◽

Food Labelling ◽

Breakfast Cereals ◽

Nutrient Contents ◽

Italian Market ◽

Quality Of Food

AbstractIn Europe, the label information on food is regulated by the Reg. (EU) n.1169/2011 but many other regulated declarations (e.g. nutrition or heath claims (NHC), presence of gluten) can be provided on the pack. All this information could influence the perception of food quality and thus the consumers’ intention-to-buy. However, whether the nutritional quality of food products is comparable among products with different characteristics (e.g. presence/absence of NHC, gluten free (GF) declaration, brand) has been barely studied.Based on these premises, the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study aims to systematically investigate the overall nutritional quality of the main food categories sold on the Italian market. The present work focused on sweet cereal-based products (biscuits, breakfast cereals, and sweet snacks).Products were selected from the website of thirteen retailers present on the Italian market and data were collected from the complete images of all the sides of the pack. Then, biscuits, breakfast cereals, and sweet snacks were further sub-grouped for specific comparisons considering i) descriptive name reported, ii) presence/absence of GF declaration, iii) presence/absence of NHC declaration, iv) brand/own label. Data of energy, nutrient and salt contents per 100 grams of product for each product category were considered and comparisons among the sub-groups were performed (Mann Whitney test or Kruskal Wallis one-way ANOVA based on two or multiple independent samples, respectively) (ver. 25.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). In addition, a Principal Component Analysis was performed for all products and for each product sub-category by considering energy and nutrient contents per 100 grams of product to better describe the inter-product nutritional variability.A total of 814 biscuits, 371 breakfast cereals and 476 sweet snacks were included. Limited differences were found between branded and own label products and between GF and gluten-containing products. Conversely, interesting differences were observed between products with and without NHC. For instance, biscuits with nutrition claims resulted with an overall lower content of total energy, total fats and sugars compared to product without these claims, in agreement with previous investigations. Finally, a high inter-product variability was observed among the different sub-categories for the three product categories.Future researches performed within the FLIP study will allow to have a clearer picture about the nutritional quality of food products sold in Italy and to understand if specific food characteristics might be considered as a “marker” of the overall quality of food products

Download Full-text

Use of Branded Food Composition Databases for the Exploitation of Food Fortification Practices: A Case Study on Vitamin D in the Slovenian Food Supply

Frontiers in Nutrition ◽

10.3389/fnut.2021.775163 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Sanja Krušič ◽

Maša Hribar ◽

Edvina Hafner ◽

Katja Žmitek ◽

Igor Pravst

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Food Composition ◽

Health Concern ◽

Food Fortification ◽

Average Content ◽

Breakfast Cereals ◽

Sales Data

Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide public health concern, which can be addressed with voluntary or mandatory food fortification. The aim of this study was to determine if branded food composition databases can be used to investigate voluntary fortification practices. A case study was conducted using two nationally representative cross-sectional datasets of branded foods in Slovenia, collected in 2017 and 2020, and yearly sales data. Using food labeling data we investigated prevalence of fortification and average vitamin D content, while nutrient profiling was used to investigate overall nutritional quality of the foods. In both datasets, the highest prevalence of vitamin D fortification was observed in meal replacements (78% in 2017; 100% in 2020) and in margarine, corresponding to high market share. Other food categories commonly fortified with vitamin D are breakfast cereals (5% in 2017; 6% in 2020), yogurts and their imitates (5% in 2017; 4% in 2020), and baby foods (18% in both years). The highest declared average content of vitamin D was observed in margarine and foods for specific dietary use (7–8 μg/100g), followed by breakfast cereals (4 μg/100g), while the average content in other foods was below 2 μg/100g. Only minor differences were observed between 2017 and 2020. Major food-category differences were also observed in comparison of the overall nutritional quality of the fortified foods; higher overall nutritional quality was only observed in fortified margarine. Our study showed that branded food composition databases are extremely useful resources for the investigation and monitoring of fortification practices, particularly if sales data can also be used. In the absence of mandatory or recommended fortification in Slovenia, very few manufacturers decide to add vitamin D, and even when this is the case, such products are commonly niche foods with lower market shares. We observed exceptions in imported foods, which can be subject to fortification policies introduced in other countries.

Download Full-text

Impact of Guar and Wheat Bran on the Physical and Nutritional Quality of Extruded Breakfast Cereals

Starch - Stärke ◽

10.1002/star.200700698 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. 248-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

Margaret A. Brennan ◽

Inge Merts ◽

John Monro ◽

James Woolnough ◽

Charles S. Brennan

Keyword(s):

Wheat Bran ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Breakfast Cereals

Download Full-text

A comparison of the nutritional quality of organic and conventional ready-to-eat breakfast cereals based on NuVal scores

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980013001456 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 17 (7) ◽

pp. 1454-1458 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nancy J Woodbury ◽

Valerie A George

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Quality ◽

Descriptive Study ◽

Public Health Nutrition ◽

Breakfast Cereal ◽

Breakfast Cereals ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Excessive Intake ◽

The Mean ◽

Nutrition Educators

AbstractObjectiveTo identify whether there were differences in nutritional quality between organic and conventional ready-to-eat breakfast cereals of similar types, based on NuVal scores.DesignThe current descriptive study analysed NuVal scores for 829 ready-to-eat breakfast cereals and eighteen different cereal types. ANOVA was used to compare the mean NuVal scores of 723 conventional cereals with those of 106 organic cereals.SettingReady-to-eat breakfast cereals (n 829) with NuVal scores.SubjectsNot applicable.ResultsThere was no significant difference in NuVal scores between conventional (mean 28·4 (sd 13·4)) and organic (mean 30·6 (sd 13·2)) cereal types.ConclusionsConsumers who choose the organic version of a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal believing that nutritional quality is superior may not be making a valid assumption. Public health nutrition educators must help consumers understand that organic cereals are not necessarily more nutritious and their consumption could result in excessive intake of undesirable nutrients, such as fat, sugar and sodium.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of breakfast cereals with the current nutrition facts panel (NFP) and the Food and Drug Administration’s NFP proposal

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980015001287 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 1047-1058 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Claudia González-Vallejo ◽

Bethany D Lavins

Keyword(s):

Healthy Eating ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Online Survey ◽

Demographic Information ◽

Breakfast Cereals ◽

Nutritional Information ◽

Nutrition Quality ◽

Perceived Importance ◽

Nutrition Facts Panel

AbstractObjectiveTo compare judgements of nutrition and judgement accuracy when evaluating cereals with the current US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nutrition facts panel (NFP) and two new proposed NFP based on FDA guidelines.DesignA between-subjects design randomly assigned participants to three NFP conditions (current NFP label and two modified NFP based on FDA proposals). Participants viewed breakfast cereals, and rated each on nutritional quality and on the likelihood of purchasing and consuming it. Participants provided demographic information and responses to questionnaires assessing nutrition/obesity knowledge, concern for healthy eating and nutrient importance.SettingUSA.SubjectsTwo hundred and thirteen adults who completed an online survey (66·2 % female, mean age 37·31 (sd 12·56) years).ResultsJudged nutrition quality of cereals was positively correlated with protein, fibre and potassium and negatively correlated with sugars and sodium. This pattern appeared when using the current NFP or the modified versions. Highlighted nutrients in modified NFP formats did not affect their perceived importance. Accuracy of the nutrition quality judgements was measured in relationship to an objectively defined nutrition score, NuVal®. Nutrition judgement accuracy was highest under the current NFP (Spearman’s ρ=0·76 for the current NFP; 0·64 and 0·72 for the other formats). Regression analysis showed that nutrition judgement accuracy increased significantly (adjusted R2=0·13) with obesity knowledge (β=0·27), age (β=0·15) and current NFP (β=0·13).ConclusionsThe current NFP is equally or more effective in conveying nutritional information compared with NFP formats based on the FDA proposal.

Download Full-text

The Effects of Promotional Content on the Nutritional Quality of Children’s Breakfast Cereals From Australia, New Zealand, The United Kingdom, Canada and The United States

Proceedings ◽

10.3390/proceedings2019008004 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 4

Author(s):

Lynne Chepulis ◽

Nadine Everson ◽

Jason H.Y. Wu ◽

Gael Mearns

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

United Kingdom ◽

New Zealand ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

The United States ◽

Breakfast Cereals ◽

The United Kingdom

Background: Breakfast is considered to be an essential meal for children, offering valuable nutrition for growing bodies [...]

Download Full-text

The nutritional quality of New Zealand breakfast cereals: an update

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980017002397 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (18) ◽

pp. 3234-3237 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lynne Chepulis ◽

Shaunie Hill ◽

Gael Mearns

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Product Category ◽

Nutritional Composition ◽

Published Data ◽

Nutritional Content ◽

Breakfast Cereals ◽

Nutrient Profile

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the nutritional quality of New Zealand breakfast cereals in 2013 and 2017.DesignNutrition Information Panel data were collected from all cereals available from two large supermarket chains in 2017 and compared with earlier published data collected in 2013.SettingUrban New Zealand supermarkets.SubjectsThe nutritional content of breakfast cereals (‘biscuits and bites’, ‘brans’, ‘bubbles, flakes and puffs’, ‘children’s cereals’, ‘muesli’ and ‘oats’) was analysed for total energy, protein, fat (total and saturated), carbohydrate, sugar, fibre and Na. The Nutrient Profile Scoring Criterion (NPSC) for each cereal was calculated to determine the proportion of ‘less healthy’ cereals (NPSC≥4) in each product category.ResultsThe energy and fat content of bubbles, flakes and puffs, muesli and oats were significantly higher in 2017 compared with 2013 (all P≤0·01). However, there was a small reduction in Na overall in 2017 (P<0·05). There was no change between 2013 and 2017 in the proportion of ‘healthy’ or ‘less healthy’ breakfast cereals available.ConclusionsThe nutrient profile of breakfast cereals has not improved since 2013, suggesting that industry self-regulation of the nutritional composition of cereals in New Zealand is not working and needs urgent reconsideration.

Download Full-text