Nutritional composition of gluten-free food versus regular food sold in the Italian market

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (12) ◽  
pp. 1305-1308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Cornicelli ◽  
Michela Saba ◽  
Nicoletta Machello ◽  
Marco Silano ◽  
Susanna Neuhold
2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (11) ◽  
pp. 2867-2882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Hopkins ◽  
Jan Mei Soon

Purpose Coeliac disease (CD) is a life-long condition requiring strict adherence to a gluten-free (GF) diet. Due to wide claims of availability and lower costs of gluten-free food (GFF) and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England needing to save costs, access to prescriptions for patients with CD is being limited in England. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the availability and cost of GFF in an area where patients with CD have restricted access to prescriptions and to assess the nutritional composition of GFFs available in comparison with foods containing gluten (FCG). Design/methodology/approach Eight food categories that were representative of a range of commonly purchased GFFs were selected. Availability and cost of the cheapest and most expensive branded and non-branded GFFs and gluten containing equivalents were surveyed at physical stores (n=19) and online stores (n=8). The nutritional composition of some of the widely available GFFs identified (n=190) and comparable FCGs (n=218) were calculated using MyFitnessPal. Findings None of the budget stores or corner shops surveyed stocked any of the surveyed cereal-based GFFs. Online stores had more availability than physical stores; however, there was no significant difference in cost. GFFs cost, on average, 2.18 times more than FCG. When making nutritional comparisons with gluten-containing food, protein content was lower across 55 per cent of GFF categories. There was significantly less sugar in GF brown bread, crackers, and wholegrain pasta compared with those containing gluten (CG). Another main finding was GF ready-meals contained significantly less salt than ready-meals CG. Originality/value Limited resources and perceived wide availability of GF products resulted in reduced GF prescriptions to patients in England. The findings in this study revealed that there is no availability of cereal-based GFFs in budget stores, high cost and limited access to prescriptions can influence adherence to a GF diet and is most likely to affect patients from deprived groups. This study recommends that the prescription of GFF to patients with CD should be continued.


Foods ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Nochera ◽  
Diane Ragone

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is grown throughout the tropics. Processing the perishable starchy fruit into flour provides a means to expand the use of the fruit. The flour can be used to develop new value-added products for local use and potential export. The purpose of this investigation was to develop a pasta product using breadfruit flour, test the sensory qualities of the breadfruit pasta product by sensory evaluation, and evaluate the nutritional composition. ‘Ma’afala’, a popular and widely distributed Polynesian cultivar was used for the study. Nutritional labeling shows that the breadfruit pasta product is high in carbohydrates (73.3%/100 g) and low in fat (8.33/100 g). Sensory evaluation indicates that 80.3% of the panelists (n = 71) found the pasta acceptable while 18.3% disliked the pasta. The breadfruit pasta product can provide a nutritious, appealing and inexpensive gluten-free food source based on locally available breadfruit in areas of the world where it can be easily grown.


2019 ◽  
pp. 419-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karandeep Kaur ◽  
Navnidhi Chhikara ◽  
Poorva Sharma ◽  
M.K. Garg ◽  
Anil Panghal

In tropical regions coconut is the tree of great significance: it provides millions of people with food, employment, and business opportunities. The fruit is referred to as ‘miracle fruit’ due to its inherent rich profile of macro- and micro-nutrients for human nutrition and health. Different products, such as coconut water, milk, raw kernels, oil and desiccated coconut are commercially processed. Coconut flour is a byproduct of coconut milk and oil industry which is made from coconut meal leftover after processing. Being a rich source of dietary fibre and protein, it has found numerous applications in different functional foods. Coconut flour can be successfully incorporated into various food products, such as bakery, extruded products, snacks, and sweets. It has antidiabetic and anticancer effects, prevents cardiovascular diseases, and improves immune function. Coconut flour is also gluten-free and its nutritional composition is quite comparable to that of wheat flour. Gluten-free food products enriched with coconut flour are a healthy and viable option for the people with celiac disease. In this paper, we summarised the present use of coconut flour. There is an apparent need to convert the food processing byproducts into functional ingredients in order to implement their environment-friendly and efficient utilisation.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 1353-1357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Mazzeo ◽  
Silvia Cauzzi ◽  
Furio Brighenti ◽  
Nicoletta Pellegrini

AbstractObjectiveTo develop a composition database of a number of foods representative of different categories of gluten-free products in the Italian diet.DesignThe database was built using the nutritional composition of the products, taking into consideration both the composition of the ingredients and the nutritional information reported on the product label.SettingThe nutrient composition of each ingredient was obtained from two Italian databases (European Institute of Oncology and the National Institute for Food and Nutrition).SubjectsThe study developed a food composition database including a total of sixty foods representative of different categories of gluten-free products sold on the Italian market. The composition of the products included in the database is given in terms of quantity of macro- and micronutrients per 100 g of product as sold, and includes the full range of nutrient data present in traditional databases of gluten-containing foods.ResultsAs expected, most of the products had a high content of carbohydrates and some of them can be labelled as a source of fibre (>3 g/100 g). Regarding micronutrients, among the products considered, breads, pizzas and snacks were especially very high in Na content (>400–500 mg/100 g).ConclusionsThis database provides an initial useful tool for future nutritional surveys on the dietary habits of coeliac people.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Marika Dello Russo ◽  
Carmela Spagnuolo ◽  
Stefania Moccia ◽  
Donato Angelino ◽  
Nicoletta Pellegrini ◽  
...  

Pasta represents a staple food in many populations and, in recent years, an increasing number of pasta items has been placed on the market to satisfy needs and trends. The aims of this work were: (i) to investigate the nutritional composition of the different types of pasta currently sold in Italy by collecting the nutrition facts on their packaging; (ii) to compare energy, nutrient and salt content per 100 g and serving in fresh and dried pasta; (iii) to compare the nutrition declaration in pairs of products with and without different declarations (i.e., gluten free (GF), organic, and nutrition claims (NC)). A total of 756 items, made available by 13 retailers present on the Italian market, were included in the analysis. Data showed a wide difference between dried and fresh pasta, with high inter-type variability. A negligible amount of salt was observed in all types of pasta, except for stuffed products, which had a median high quantity of salt (>1 g/100 g and ~1.5 g/serving). Organic pasta had higher fibre and lower protein contents compared to conventional pasta. GF products were higher in carbohydrate and fat but lower in fibre and protein than not-GF products, while only a higher fibre content was found in pasta with NC compared to products not boasting claims. Overall, the results show high variability in terms of nutrition composition among the pasta items currently on the market, supporting the importance of reading and understanding food labels for making informed food choices.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1213
Author(s):  
Elena Martínez ◽  
Rita García-Martínez ◽  
Manuel Álvarez-Ortí ◽  
Adrián Rabadán ◽  
Arturo Pardo-Giménez ◽  
...  

Cookies, which form the largest category of bakery snacks, are considered a good vehicle to introduce nutrients into the diet. In this study, to increase the nutritional value of traditional commercial cookies, wheat flour was substituted with defatted flours made from flax, sesame, chia, and poppy, which are byproducts of the oil extraction industry. The differences in the technological properties, nutritional composition, and consumer acceptance of the reformulated cookies were evaluated. The results show that the wheat cookies used as the control showed a more elastic behavior than the cookies elaborated with defatted seed flours, which showed a greater tendency to crumble. The use of defatted seed flours yielded cookies with a higher content of protein and fiber, and a lower content in carbohydrates than the wheat cookies. Consumer evaluations for the sesame and flax cookies were similar to those for the traditional wheat cookies, with positive assessments on all of the parameters evaluated. On the other hand, the cookies elaborated using chia and poppy flours received the least positive evaluations from consumers. Thus, the use of some defatted seed flours, mainly flax and sesame, is proposed as an interesting alternative to produce health-promoting cookies in order to cover the current demand for gluten-free products.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Diana R. Mager ◽  
Samantha Cyrkot ◽  
Christine Lirette ◽  
Herbert Brill ◽  
Jenna Dowhaniuk ◽  
...  

Abstract The gluten free (GF) diet is the only treatment for celiac disease (CD). While the GF diet can be nutritious, increased reliance on processed and packaged GF foods can result in higher fat/sugar and lower micronutrient intake in children with CD. Currently, there are no evidence-based nutrition guidelines that address the GF diet. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to describe the methodological considerations in forming a GF food guide for Canadian children and youth (4-18 years) with CD. Food guide development occurred in three phases: 1) evaluation of nutrient intake and dietary patterns of children on the GF diet, 2) pre-guide stakeholder consultations with 151 health care professionals and 383 community end users, and 3) development of 1260 GF diet simulations that addressed cultural preferences and food traditions, diet patterns and diet quality. Stakeholder feedback identified nutrient intake and food literacy as important topics for guide content. Except for vitamin D, the diet simulations met 100% macro- and micronutrient requirements for age-sex. The pediatric GF plate model recommends intake of >50% fruits and vegetables, <25% grains and 25% protein foods with a stronger emphasis on plant-based sources. Vitamin D fortified fluid milk/unsweetened plant-based alternatives and other rich sources are important to optimize vitamin D intake. The GF food guide can help children consume a nutritiously adequate GF diet and inform policy makers regarding the need for nutrition guidelines in pediatric CD.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1183
Author(s):  
Laura Vergeer ◽  
Beatriz Franco-Arellano ◽  
Gabriel B. Tjong ◽  
Jodi T. Bernstein ◽  
Mary R. L’Abbé

Little is known about the healthfulness and cost of gluten-free (GF) foods, relative to non-GF alternatives, in Canada. This study compared the extent of processing, nutritional composition and prices of Canadian products with and without GF claims. Data were sourced from the University of Toronto Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2013 (n = 15,285) and 2017 (n = 17,337) databases. Logistic regression models examined the association of NOVA processing category with GF claims. Calorie/nutrient contents per 100 g (or mL) were compared between GF and non-GF products. Generalized linear models compared adjusted mean prices per 100 g (or mL) of products with and without GF claims. The prevalence of GF claims increased from 7.1% in 2013 to 15.0% in 2017. GF claims appeared on 17.0% of ultra-processed foods, which were more likely to bear GF claims products than less-processed categories. Median calories and sodium were significantly higher in GF products; no significant differences were observed for saturated fat or sugars. Compared to non-GF products, adjusted mean prices of GF products were higher for 10 food categories, lower for six categories and not significantly different for six categories. Overall, GF claims are becoming increasingly prevalent in Canada; however, they are often less healthful and more expensive than non-GF alternatives, disadvantaging consumers following GF diets.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (01) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ira Mulyawanti ◽  
Slamet Budijanto ◽  
Sedarnawati Yasni

The aim of this study was to optimize gluten free pasta formula made from purple sweet potato puree and mung bean flour. Aplication of a mixture design allowed to find the optimal composition to achieve the desirable characteristic. The results showed that the optimal formula was mixture of 45.25% purple sweet potato puree and 51.75% mung bean flour. The characteristics of the chosen formula were springiness of 2.29 mm, 0.38 cohesiveness, cooking loss 17.62%,333.48 ͼHue, Ie   20.59%, and 42.42 mg/L anthocyanin content. Microscopic structure showed that cooked pasta with purple sweet potato puree composition below 50% in the formula had a solid texture appearance. Keywords: Pasta, purple sweet potatoes, gluten free food, formulation optimization ABSTRAKPenelitian bertujuan untuk mengoptimasi formula pasta bebas gluten berbahan dasar puree ubi jalar ungu dan tepung kacang hijau. Aplikasi mixture design dalam optimasi formula dapat menghasilkan formula yang optimal dengan karakteristik produk sesuai dengan yang diinginkan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa komposisi optimal puree ubi jalar ungu dengan tepung kacang hijau dalam formula adalah 45,25% puree ubi jalar ungu dan 51,75% tepung kacang hijau. Pada komposisi tersebut dihasilkan pasta ubi jalar ungu dengan karakteristik yaitu kekenyalan 2,29 mm, cohesiveness 0,38, KKP 17,62%, warna 333,48, Ie   20,59%, dan kandungan antosianin 42,42 mg/L. Dari segi mikroskopik, pasta ubi jalar ungu matang dengan rasio puree ubi jalar ungu dengan formula di bawah 50% sudah menunjukkan adanya struktur yang kompak.Kata kunci: Pasta, ubi jalar ungu, pangan bebas gluten, optimasi formula 


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