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

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

Assessing nutritional value of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals in the province of Quebec (Canada): a study from the Food Quality Observatory

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021001361 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Julie Perron ◽

Sonia Pomerleau ◽

Pierre Gagnon ◽

Joséane Gilbert-Moreau ◽

Simone Lemieux ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Quality ◽

Food Supply ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Nutritional Composition ◽

Breakfast Cereal ◽

Food Category ◽

Breakfast Cereals ◽

Sales Data

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

Evaluation of nutritional quality of biscuits and sweet snacks sold on the Italian market: the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980020000853 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (15) ◽

pp. 2811-2818 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M Dall’Asta ◽

A Rosi ◽

D Angelino ◽

N Pellegrini ◽

D Martini

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Quality ◽

Salt Content ◽

Product Type ◽

Food Labelling ◽

Cereal Products ◽

Italian Market ◽

Other Information ◽

Quality Of Products ◽

Different Characteristics

AbstractObjective:The present study aimed at surveying the nutritional quality of prepacked biscuits and sweet snacks sold on the Italian market, and at identifying whether the product type and other information reported on the pack could discriminate the overall quality of products analysed.Design:Data on energy, nutrient and salt content of the products from two different categories of prepacked sweet cereal products (i.e. biscuits and sweet snacks) were collected from thirteen retailers present on the Italian market. Based on the product type, nutrition and health claim (NHC) and gluten-free (GF) declaration, a comparison of nutrient profile within each category was performed.Setting:This work is part of the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) study that aims at systematically investigating the overall quality of the prepacked foods sold on the Italian market.Results:A total of 1290 products were analysed (63 % biscuits and 37 % sweet snacks). After comparing different product types within each category, a high intra-type product variability was evidenced, which was more pronounced for biscuits. Overall, NHC-carrying products seemed to have a better nutrition profile than those without claims, except for salt content. Conversely, a comparison between GF and gluten-containing products did not show consistent results within the two categories analysed.Conclusions:Due to the high intra-type variability within each category, the different characteristics and regulated information reported on the pack do not seem to be a clear marker of the overall nutritional quality of biscuits and snacks.

Download Full-text

Nutritional quality of Australian breakfast cereals. Are they improving?

Appetite ◽

10.1016/j.appet.2012.06.010 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 464-470 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Jimmy Chun Yu Louie ◽

Elizabeth K Dunford ◽

Karen Z Walker ◽

Timothy P Gill

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Quality ◽

Breakfast Cereals

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

Analysis of Food Labels to Evaluate the Nutritional Quality of Bread Products and Substitutes Sold in Italy: Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods9121905 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1905

Author(s):

Donato Angelino ◽

Alice Rosi ◽

Emilia Ruggiero ◽

Daniele Nucci ◽

Gaetana Paolella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Quality ◽

Salt Content ◽

Point Of View ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Gluten Free ◽

Food Labelling ◽

Food Labels ◽

Health Claim ◽

Italian Market

Bread is one of the most common staple foods, despite the increasing consumption of the so-called “bread substitutes”. The aim of the present work is to survey the nutritional quality intended as a nutrition declaration of 339 pre-packed bread products and 1020 bread substitutes sold in the major retailers present on the Italian market. Comparisons of energy, macronutrient, and salt content within product types, and between regular and gluten-free (GF) products and products with or without nutrition claim (NC) and health claim (HC) declarations, were performed. A high inter-product variability was detected. The median energy contents were 274 (interquartile range 255–289) and 412 (380–437) kcal/100 for bread products and substitutes, respectively. Irrespective of the category, GF products had lower amounts of energy than their gluten-containing counterpart (p < 0.001), whereas products carrying NC had lower energy, sugar and salt amounts than the products without these declarations on the pack (p < 0.001 for all). A strong positive correlation was observed between energy and carbohydrate in bread (rho = 0.73, p < 0.001), but not in substitutes (rho = 0.033, p = 0.29). The present work highlighted a high variability in the apparent nutritional quality of bread products and substitutes sold on the Italian market, and suggested that bread alternatives should not be considered tout court as substitutes from a nutritional point of view.

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