scholarly journals 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 ◽  
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.

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

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (15) ◽  
pp. 2811-2818 ◽  
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.

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 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

Nutritional Quality of Gluten-Free Breads

2021 ◽  
pp. 89-99
Author(s):  
Shafia Ashraf ◽  
Sajad Ahmad Sofi ◽  
Khalid Muzaffar ◽  
Darakshan Majid ◽  
Jasmeet Kour
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Gluten Free

scholarly journals Trends in the use of gluten-free claims on Canadian food labels between 2013–2017 and assessment of their nutritional quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Franco-Arellano ◽  
Gabriel B. Tjong ◽  
Mary R. L'Abbé
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Food Category ◽  
Cross Sectional

AbstractGluten-free claims (GFC) on food labels are becoming popular despite the fact that 1% and 6% of the population have celiac disorder or gluten sensitivity, respectively. A previous Canadian study found that GFC were displayed on 8% of food labels; however, certain food categories (e.g., snacks, meat products) were among the ones carrying most GFC. This study aimed to assess trends in the use of GFC on Canadian food labels in top food categories carrying GFC from 2013 to 2017 and to determine the nutritional quality between products with and without GFC.This study was a repeated cross-sectional analysis of the University of Toronto Food Label Information Program 2013–2017. GFC were identified by systematically reviewing the photographs of food labels (n = 9,179) in seven food categories previously identified as carrying larger proportions of GFC: 1) desserts; 2) desserts toppings and fillings; 3) meat products; 4) nuts and seeds; 5) sauces and dips; 6) snacks; and 7) soups. GFC were coded as present, if a gluten-free declaration or symbol was made on package, otherwise products were coded as claim absent. Proportions of products displaying GFC were calculated overall and by food category. Mean contents of saturated fat (g per 100g/ml), sodium (mg per 100g/ml) and sugar (g per 100g/ml) were calculated for products with and without GFC. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tested differences in proportions and mean contents of those nutrients between years.Results showed that among these categories, GFC have significantly increased from 11% in 2013 to 23% in 2017 (p < 0.001). At a category level, snacks had the greatest increase of GFC as their prevalence doubled (15% to 33%, p < 0.001), followed by nuts and seeds (12% to 27%, p < 0.001) and meat products (15% to 28%, p < 0.001), respectively for 2013 and 2017. The proportion of GFC in dessert toppings and fillings remained constant (16% in 2013 and 14% in 2017, p = 0.74). When the nutritional composition was examined, results were mixed: in dessert toppings and filling, meat products and, nuts and seeds, products with GFC had higher contents of saturated fat, sodium and sugar in comparison to their counterpart without claims, whereas the opposite was true for foods within desserts, sauces and dips, snacks, and soups categories (p < 0.001 for all nutrients, except for saturated fat in nuts and seeds). In conclusion, prevalence of GFC has doubled in the Canadian food supply; such claims are not indicative of better nutritional composition.

scholarly journals A Comparison of the Nutritional Qualities of Supermarket’s Own and Regular Brands of Bread in Sweden

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veli-Matti Lappi ◽  
Antoine Mottas ◽  
Johan Sundström ◽  
Bruce Neal ◽  
Marie Löf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Processed Food ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Lower Protein ◽  
Nutritional Qualities ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Total Fat

Processed food is associated with unhealthy qualities such as higher content of harmful fats, sugars and salt. The aim of our study was to compare the nutritional qualities of supermarket’s own brands and regular brands of bread sold in Sweden. Additionally, we compared the nutritional qualities of gluten-free and gluten-containing bread. We collected information from the labels of 332 bread products available in the largest grocery store chains. The Australian Health Star Rating (HSR) system was used to quantify the nutritional quality of each bread product. We compared all supermarket’s own brand products to regular brand products, and gluten-free to gluten-containing bread. The mean HSR for the supermarket’s own brands was lower than the regular brands (3.6 vs. 3.7; p = 0.046). For the regular brand products, the fibre, sugar and total fat content were greater (p < 0.001, p = 0.002 and p = 0.021, respectively), while less protein (p = 0.009) compared to regular bread products. Gluten-free bread had a lower HSR than gluten-containing bread (mean 3.5 vs. 3.8, respectively; p < 0.001). The regular brand products were slightly healthier than the supermarket’s own brands, primarily as a result of a higher fibre content. Gluten-free bread products were slightly unhealthier due to a lower protein content.

Assessment of Nutritional Adequacy of Packaged Gluten-free Food Products

2014 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 186-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tasha Kulai ◽  
Mohsin Rashid
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Free Food ◽  
Fat Content ◽  
Carbohydrate Content ◽  
Financial Impact ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Nutritional Adequacy ◽  
Product Size

Purpose: There is concern about the nutritional quality of processed gluten-free (GF) products. The aim was to investigate the nutrient composition and cost of processed GF products compared with similar regular products. Methods: Product size, price, caloric value, and macro- and micronutrient composition were compared between foods labeled “Gluten-free” and comparable regular products in 5 grocery stores in 3 Canadian cities. Data were calculated per 100 g of product. Results: A total of 131 products were studied (71 GF, 60 regular). Overall, calories were comparable between GF and regular foods. However, fat content of GF breads was higher (mean 7.7 vs. 3.6 g, P = 0.003), whereas protein was lower (mean 5.0 vs. 8.0 g, P = 0.001). Mean carbohydrate content of GF pasta was higher (78 vs. 74 g, P = 0.001), whereas protein (7.5 vs. 13.3 g, P < 0.001), fibre (3.3 vs. 5.8 g, P = 0.048), iron (9% vs. 25%DV, P < 0.001), and folate content (5% vs. 95%DV, P < 0.001) were lower. Mean price of GF products was $1.99 versus $1.23 for regular products (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Some commonly consumed packaged GF foods are higher in fat and carbohydrates and lower in protein, iron, and folate compared with regular products. GF products are more expensive. Dietitians should counsel patients on the GF diet regarding its nutritional and financial impact.

scholarly journals The Nutritional Quality of Gluten-Free Products for Children

PEDIATRICS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 142 (2) ◽  
pp. e20180525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlene Elliott
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Free Products

Assessment of Price And Nutritional Quality of Gluten-Free Products versus Their Analogues with Gluten Through the Algorithm of The Nutri-Score Front-of-Package Labeling System

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara de las Heras-Delgado ◽  
Adoración de las Nieves Alías-Guerrero ◽  
Esther Cendra-Duarte ◽  
J Salas-Salvado ◽  
Elisenda Vilchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Free Products ◽  
System P ◽  
Package Labeling ◽  
Labeling System ◽  
Nutritional Profiles

Evidence showed that the nutritional quality of gluten-free products (GFPs) was lower than non-GFPs. Our main objective was to compare the nutritional quality, through nutritional profiles of foods underlying Nutri-Score...

scholarly journals Salt content labelling of foods in supermarkets in Finland

1998 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. NÄRHINEN ◽  
A. NISSINEN ◽  
P.-L. PENTTILÄ
Keyword(s):  
Salt Intake ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
The Public ◽  
Reduced Salt ◽  
Packaged Food

The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which lightly salted food products are included in the assortments of Finnish supermarkets and prominently placed on shelves. The study was carried out in eastern Finland in four supermarkets of different food chains. Six food groups of importance for people's salt intake were considered. The food labels of 689 packaged food products were checked for salt and sodium information on the basis of Finnish regulations on salt. Products with reduced salt contents were found in most food groups but not among whole-meat or ready-to-eat foods. Half of the products with reduced amounts of salt were labelled "lightly salted". All four supermarkets had a similar assortment of lightly salted products. From the public health point of view, the food industry should increase the supply of lightly salted products, and make a special effort to develop lightly salted ready-to-eat foods.

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