scholarly journals Breakfast Cereals Carrying Fibre-Related Claims: Do They Have a Better Nutritional Composition Than Those without Such Claims? Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2225
Author(s):  
Daniela Martini ◽  
Cristian Del Bo’ ◽  
Mauro Serafini ◽  
Marisa Porrini ◽  
Nicoletta Pellegrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Packaging ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Food Labelling ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Breakfast Cereals ◽  
Nutritional Information ◽  
Nutrition Claims ◽  
Nutritional Characteristics ◽  
Online Stores

Nutrition claims (NCs) on food packaging are, from one side, an informative tool about the nutritional characteristics of the product. From another side, they could bias the consumer in perceiving such products as healthier than those without claims. In order to investigate whether products with NCs have a better nutritional composition that those without claims, the present study aimed to compare the nutrition facts of 376 breakfast cereals, with and without fibre-related NCs, available in 13 Italian retailer online stores. Among these products, 73 items claimed to be a “source of fibre” and 109 “high in fibre”. In addition to a higher fibre content, products “high in fibre” showed higher protein and fat contents but lower carbohydrate, sugar and salt contents compared to both “source of fibre” and without fibre-related NC items. Overall, a high variability in nutritional values was also observed within products with the same type of fibre-related NC. In conclusion, the results suggested that fibre-related NCs should not be considered as a marker of a better nutritional composition of breakfast cereals, and thus consumers should be educated to carefully read the entire nutritional information reported in the food labelling.

scholarly journals Serving Size and Nutrition Labelling: Implications for Nutrition Information and Nutrition Claims on Packaged Foods

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Kliemann ◽  
Mariana Kraemer ◽  
Tailane Scapin ◽  
Vanessa Rodrigues ◽  
Ana Fernandes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Choices ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
Food Labelling ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Nutrition Claims ◽  
Nutrition Labelling ◽  
Packaged Foods ◽  
Serving Sizes ◽  
Serving Size

The presentation of nutrition information on a serving size basis is a strategy that has been adopted by several countries to promote healthy eating. Variation in serving size, however, can alter the nutritional values reported on food labels and compromise the food choices made by the population. This narrative review aimed to discuss (1) current nutrition labelling legislation regarding serving size and (2) the implications of declared serving size for nutrition information available on packaged foods. Most countries with mandatory food labelling require that serving size be presented on food labels, but variation in this information is generally allowed. Studies have reported a lack of standardisation among serving sizes of similar products which may compromise the usability of nutrition information. Moreover, studies indicate that food companies may be varying serving sizes as a marketing strategy to stimulate sales by reporting lower values of certain nutrients or lower energy values on nutrition information labels. There is a need to define the best format for presenting serving size on food labels in order to provide clear and easily comprehensible nutrition information to the consumer.

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

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.

scholarly journals Nutritional Quality of Pasta Sold on the Italian Market: The Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Marika Dello Russo ◽  
Carmela Spagnuolo ◽  
Stefania Moccia ◽  
Donato Angelino ◽  
Nicoletta Pellegrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Content ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Nutrition Claims ◽  
Italian Market ◽  
Lower Protein ◽  
Fresh Pasta

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.

scholarly journals CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF WHOLE GRAINS IN COMMON BEANS LANDRACES AND BREEDING GENOTYPES

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilberto Antonio Peripolli Bevilaqua ◽  
Iraja Ferreira Antunes
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Whole Grain ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Breeding Lines ◽  
Manganese Zinc ◽  
Nutritional Characteristics ◽  
Calcium Magnesium ◽  
The Common ◽  
Iron Manganese ◽  
Insoluble Fiber

The common bean has been object of breeding programs aiming the development of new cultivars adapted to varied production system and shown differentiated nutritional characteristics. Due a genetic diversity existent the landraces can be used directly for cropping, for present characteristics desirable. Little information exists about mineral content and other quality traits for those bean landraces. The aim of this paper was to verify the variability for grain nutricional caracters in breeding cultivars and landraces of bean from Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in 2009/2010 in Experimental Station Cascata, of Embrapa Temperate Agriculture. In whole grain of 54 bean genotypes with black and no black coat were determined macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, calcium, magnesium and sulfur), oligoelements (iron, manganese, zinc and cuprum), protein and ash content, insoluble fiber, digestive nutrient and antioxidant astragalina. The results shown that the landraces varieties presents nutritional composition of macro and oligoelements, fibers, protein and ash contents in whole grain similar than that of breeding lines and cultivars. The black coat grain from breeding programs showed better nutritional quality for macro and oligoelements content than coloured grain, highlighting TB 02-04 e TB 01-01. The landraces with coloured grains TB 02-26, TB 02-24 and TB 03-13 showed the high levels of astragaline.

scholarly journals Microbiological and Nutritional Properties of Frankfurter-Type Fish Sausage

2018 ◽  
pp. 27-34
Author(s):  
Nkrumah T ◽  
Akwetey WY
Keyword(s):  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Frozen Storage ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Fresh Fish ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Fish Meat ◽  
Preservation Technology ◽  
Processed Products

Fish meat is a common and broadly used food due to its high nutritional values yet the bones and flavour of fresh fish can be unpleasant. The unpleasant fishy flavour makes it difficult to handle and process. The fishy flavour is as a result of microbial presence and growth. Studies associated with microbial contaminations have concentrated more on the carcass. Such contaminations which affect the microbiological status of processed products can emanate from spices and other non-meat ingredients, environment, equipment and handlers. The successful application of processing/preservation technology results in the conservation of desirable qualities in stabilized and varietal fish products. This study sought to use fish in the manufacture of frankfurter-type sausages, which could have improved preservation characteristics without any adverse effects on sensory properties. The nutritional composition and microbiological safety of fresh fish and sausages were determined using the methods described by AOAC and ICMSF respectively. The study showed that, catfish sausages were higher in protein (15.69 %) and were lower in fat (10.66%) compared to the other sausages. Total Viable Counts (TVC) were within the accepted limits (106 and 107cfu/g) for fish and pork respectively. E. coli was not detected in any of the treatments during frozen storage for 6 weeks. It was concluded that catfish frankfurter has high nutritive value because it contained less fat but with higher crude protein. Like pork frankfurters, both catfish and mackerel sausages could be stored for six weeks without any negative effects on microbial quality.

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

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

scholarly journals Special Low Protein Foods in the UK: An Examination of Their Macronutrient Composition in Comparison to Regular Foods

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgina Wood ◽  
Sharon Evans ◽  
Kiri Pointon-Bell ◽  
Júlio César Rocha ◽  
Anita MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Macronutrient Composition ◽  
Added Sugar ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Low Protein ◽  
Nutritional Analysis ◽  
Upper Limits ◽  
Total Fat ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Special low protein foods (SLPFs) are essential in a low phenylalanine diet for treating phenylketonuria (PKU). With little known about their nutritional composition, all SLPFs on UK prescription were studied (n = 146) and compared to equivalent protein-containing foods (n = 190). SLPF nutritional analysis was obtained from suppliers/manufacturers. Comparable information about regular protein-containing foods was obtained from online UK supermarkets. Similar foods were grouped together, with mean nutritional values calculated for each subgroup (n = 40) and percentage differences determined between SLPFs and regular food subgroups. All SLPF subgroups contained 43–100% less protein than regular foods. Sixty-three percent (n = 25/40) of SLPF subgroups contained less total fat with palm oil (25%, n = 36/146) and hydrogenated vegetable oil (23%, n = 33/146) key fat sources. Sixty-eight percent (n = 27/40) of SLPF subgroups contained more carbohydrate, with 72% (n = 105/146) containing added sugar. Key SLPF starch sources were maize/corn (72%; n = 105/146). Seventy-seven percent (n = 113/146) of SLPFs versus 18% (n = 34/190) of regular foods contained added fibre, predominantly hydrocolloids. Nine percent of SLPFs contained phenylalanine > 25 mg/100 g and sources of phenylalanine/protein in their ingredient lists. Stricter nutritional composition regulations for SLPFs are required, identifying maximum upper limits for macronutrients and phenylalanine, and fat and carbohydrate sources that are associated with healthy outcomes.

scholarly journals Nutritional quality, cost and availability of gluten-free food in England

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (11) ◽  
pp. 2867-2882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Hopkins ◽  
Jan Mei Soon
Keyword(s):  
Free Food ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Food Protein ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Strict Adherence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Wide Availability ◽  
Online Stores ◽  
Brown Bread

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.

Nutritional composition of Patagonian marine gastropods during reproductive seasonality

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-576
Author(s):  
Mariano Cumplido ◽  
Carmen Marinho ◽  
Gregorio Bigatti
Keyword(s):  
Glycogen Content ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
International Markets ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Marine Gastropods ◽  
Complementary Resources ◽  
The Mean

AbstractMarine gastropods are consumed worldwide due to their nutritional quality, having important economic value in international markets. In the gulfs of Northern Patagonia (Argentina), marine gastropods are captured as complementary resources during bivalve artisanal fisheries. In this study, we determined the biochemical composition during the reproductive cycle of four edible marine gastropods abundant along the South-western Atlantic coast: Odontocymbiola magellanica, Buccinanops deformis, Buccinanops cochlidium and Trophon geversianus. All the studied species presented high protein (36–70.8%), low lipids (0.02–1.50%) and intermediate glycogen content (3.22–14.08%). The main oviposition season was during spring and summer. The mean nutritional values indicate that the species studied provide a good source of nutrients appropriate to the human diet, reaffirming their value as a commercial resource. Taking into account the nutritional contribution and the reproductive season, the best period for the capture of these resources is during summer for O. magellanica and T. geversianus, and during autumn for B. deformis and B. cochlidium. This work will help promote the consumption of Patagonian gastropods while ensuring their responsible capture, contributing to the sustainability of these valuable resources.

The contradictions of food labelling policy

1995 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Lang
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Food Labelling ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Market Theory ◽  
Organic Foods ◽  
Nutritional Information

A variety of food labelling issues are reviewed: information about manufacturers' names, quality standards and quality marks, nutritional information, health claims, advertising, additives, genetically modified organisms, pesticides, organic foods, eco-labelling and animal welfare. Some of these issues are reasonably fully reflected in food labels and others not at all. There are different possible explanations for this variation in coverage. There is little consistency of approach to labelling, and there are grounds for questioning whether food labelling is working to the benefit of consumers. Market theory requires consumers to be fully informed for the market to work. But theory and reality are ill-matched because food labelling has itself become a battleground, rather than a tool to enable the market to work. Market theory either needs to be applied or to be changed. Food labelling is not the answer to getting better food, better food production, or even better flows of information. At best, the struggle for more honest labelling can be an educational process in itself.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document