scholarly journals The Nutritional Quality of Organic and Conventional Food Products Sold in Italy: Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margherita Dall’Asta ◽  
Donato Angelino ◽  
Nicoletta Pellegrini ◽  
Daniela Martini
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Food Labelling ◽  
Present Survey ◽  
Customer Perception ◽  
Nutritional Profile ◽  
Organic Certification ◽  
Online Retailers ◽  
Organic Products

The market for organic products is growing rapidly, probably attributable to the general customer perception that they are healthier foods, with a better nutritional profile than conventional ones. Despite this, the available studies show limited differences in the nutrient profile of organically and conventionally primary food products. Apart from this literature, no studies have focused on the nutrition profile of commercially prepacked foods. Thus, the aim of the present survey was to compare the nutritional quality intended as nutrition facts of organic and conventional prepacked foods sold in Italy. A total of 569 pairs of prepacked products (organic and their conventional counterparts) were selected from nine food categories sold by online retailers. By comparing organic and conventional products in the “pasta, rice and other cereals” category, the former were lower in energy, protein, and higher in saturates compared to the latter. Organic “jams, chocolate spreads and honey” products were lower in energy, carbohydrates, sugars and higher in protein than their regular counterparts. No differences were found for energy, macronutrients and salt for other categories. Therefore, based on the mandatory information printed on their packaging, prepacked organic products are not of a superior nutritional quality than conventional ones, with just a few exceptions. Consequently, the present study suggests that organic certification cannot be considered an indication of better overall nutritional quality. Further studies examining the nutritional quality of organic foods, taking into account the ingredients used, might better explain the results obtained.

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 Declaration of nutrition information on and nutritional quality of Thai ready-to-eat packaged food products

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 1409-1417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suladda Pongutta ◽  
Pitipa Chongwatpol ◽  
Parwin Tantayapirak ◽  
Stefanie Vandevijvere
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
Nutrition Information ◽  
Nutrient Profile ◽  
Profile Model ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Packaged Foods ◽  
Packaged Food

AbstractObjectiveThe present study assessed the nutrition information displayed on ready-to-eat packaged foods and the nutritional quality of those food products in Thailand.DesignIn March 2015, the nutrition information panels and nutrition and health claims on ready-to-eat packaged foods were collected from the biggest store of each of the twelve major retailers, using protocols developed by the International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS). The Thai Nutrient Profile Model was used to classify food products according to their nutritional quality as ‘healthier’ or ‘less healthy’.ResultsIn total, information from 7205 food products was collected across five broad food categories. Out of those products, 5707 (79·2 %), 2536 (35·2 %) and 1487 (20·6 %) carried a nutrition facts panel, a Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) label and health-related claims, respectively. Only 4691 (65·1 %) and 2484 (34·5 %) of the products that displayed the nutrition facts or a GDA label, respectively, followed the guidelines of the Thai Food and Drug Administration. In total, 4689 products (65·1 %) could be classified according to the Thai Nutrient Profile Model, of which 432 products (9·2 %) were classified as healthier. Moreover, among the 1487 products carrying health-related claims, 1219 (82·0 %) were classified as less healthy. Allowing less healthy food products to carry claims could mislead consumers and result in overconsumption of ready-to-eat food products.ConclusionsThe findings suggest effective policies should be implemented to increase the relative availability of healthier ready-to-eat packaged foods, as well as to improve the provision of nutrition information on labels in Thailand.

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 Prospective associations between the nutritional quality of foods consumed (graded by the FSAm-NPS underlying the Nutri-Score) and mortality in Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mélanie Deschasaux ◽  
Inge Huybrechts ◽  
Neil Murphy ◽  
Chantal Julia ◽  
Serge Hercberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Competing Events ◽  
Quality Of Food ◽  
Related Mortality

AbstractIn 2017, 11 million deaths related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were attributable to dietary risk factors (GBD, 2019). Helping consumers make healthier food choices hence appears as one key strategy to prevent NCDs-related mortality. To this end, political authorities are considering implementing a simple label to reflect the nutritional quality of food products. The five-colour Nutri-Score label, derived from the Nutrient Profiling System of the British Food Standards Agency (FSAm-NPS), has been chosen by several countries in Europe (France, Belgium, Spain). Yet, its implementation is still voluntary per EU labelling regulation. Scientific evidence is therefore needed regarding the relevance of the FSAm-NPS at the European level. Following on our results showing an increased risk of cancer related to the consumption of foods with a high FSAm-NPS score in the EPIC cohort, our objective is now to focus on NCDs-related mortality. Our prospective analyses included 501,594 adults from the EPIC cohort (1992–2015, median follow-up: 17.2 years). Mortality events occurring < 2 years after recruitment were excluded, leaving 50,743 death events (main causes: cancer, n = 21,971; cerebro/cardiovascular diseases, n = 12,407; respiratory diseases, n = 2,796). Usual food intakes were assessed with standardized country-specific diet assessment methods. The FSAm-NPS was calculated for each food/beverage using their 100-g content in energy, sugar, saturated fatty acid, sodium, fibres, proteins, and fruits/vegetables/legumes/nuts. The individual FSAm-NPS Dietary Index (DI) is obtained as an energy-weighted mean of the FSAm-NPS scores of all food items usually consumed by a participant. Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for confounding factors, including personal history of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes were computed. Fine and Gray models were also tested to take into account competing events for cause-specific mortality analyses. A higher FSAm-NPS DI score, reflecting a lower nutritional quality of the diet, was associated with a higher mortality risk overall (HRQ5vs.Q1 = 1.06 [95%CI: 1.02–1.09], P-trend < 0.001) and by cancer (HRQ5vs.Q1 = 1.06 [1.01–1.11], P-trend = 0.003) and respiratory diseases (HRQ5vs.Q1 = 1.33 [1.16–1.52], P-trend < 0.001), with similar results in competing events analyses. Associations with cerebro-/cardiovascular diseases mortality were weaker (HRQ5vs.Q1 = 1.05 [0.98,1.11], P-trend = 0.04) and no longer statistically significant in competing events analyses. In this large multinational European cohort, the consumption of food products with a higher FSAm-NPS score (lower nutritional quality of the foods consumed) was associated with a higher mortality risk, supporting the relevance of the FSAm-NPS to grade the nutritional quality of food products for public health applications (e.g, Nutri-Score) aiming to guide the consumers towards healthier food choices.

scholarly journals Are green caterers more likely to serve healthy meals than non-green caterers? Results from a quantitative study in Danish worksite catering

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 846-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
BE Mikkelsen ◽  
M Bruselius-Jensen ◽  
JS Andersen ◽  
A Lassen
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Organic Foods ◽  
Good Opportunity ◽  
Green Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Organic Products ◽  
Service Training ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

AbstractObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate whether organic conversion in catering has positive effects on the nutritional quality of menus offered.DesignThe methodology was based on a self-administered questionnaire. The self-declared priority given to the use of organic foods was measured as the basis for assigning catering managers to one of two groups: ‘green’ or ‘non-green’ caterers. These groups were then compared with regard to the relative nutritional quality of the menu options offered to customers.SettingThe study was carried out among randomly selected Danish worksite catering outlets.SubjectsThe subjects participating in the study comprised 526 Danish worksite catering managers.ResultsThe results showed a strong correlation between caterers' ‘green-ness’ and the nutritional quality of the menu options offered. Green caters had more healthy options in their menus than non-green caters, which is likely to result in improved nutritional quality of the diets of end consumers. The reason for this may partly be the increased service training efforts that green caterers practise in order to be able to implement organic foods successfully. It may also be associated with the fact that the price premiums and availability of the organic products forces caterers to serve menus with higher amounts of root and non-green leafy vegetables, pulses and seasonal vegetables.ConclusionThe present findings suggest that organic conversion of public canteens may be a good opportunity to promote healthier eating in public catering.

scholarly journals Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Cheese Available in Spanish Supermarkets: How Do They Compare to Dairy Cheese?

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3291
Author(s):  
Ujué Fresán ◽  
Holly Rippin
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Nutritional Content ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Nutritional Profile ◽  
Cashew Nut ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Cheese Products

Plant-based cheese is one of the most increasingly consumed dairy alternatives. Evidence is lacking on their nutritional quality. We aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition of the plant-based cheese options available in Spanish supermarkets, and how they compare with dairy cheese. An audit of plant-based cheese alternatives has been conducted in seven of the most common supermarkets. For each product, the nutritional content per 100 g and ingredients were collected. Data on generic dairy cheese were retrieved from the BEDCA website. Descriptive statistics (median, minimum and maximum) were used to characterize the plant-based cheese products, for both all the products and grouped by main ingredients (i.e., coconut oil, cashew nuts and tofu). Mann–Whitney U tests were used for comparisons between dairy and different types of plant-based cheese. The coconut oil-based products (the large majority of plant-based cheese products, n = 34) could not be considered as healthy foods. Their major ingredients were refined coconut oil and starches and were high in saturated fats and salt. The other smaller groups, cashew nut- (n = 4) and tofu-based (n = 2), showed a healthier nutritional profile. Replacing dairy cheese with these groups could be nutritionally beneficial. Future investigations should address the health effects of substituting dairy cheese with these products.

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 Nutritional quality of food consumed (graded by the FSAm-NPS / Nutri-Score) and mortality in Europe

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Deschasaux ◽  
I Huybrechts ◽  
N Murphy ◽  
C Julia ◽  
S Hercberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Quality Of Food ◽  
Health Applications

Abstract Background Unhealthy diets are major contributors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and related deaths. To help consumers make healthier food choices, political authorities are considering implementing a simple label to reflect the nutritional quality of food products. The Nutri-Score, based on the nutrient profiling system of the Food Standards Agency (FSAm-NPS), was chosen by several countries in Europe (France, Belgium, Spain). Yet, its implementation is only voluntary per EU regulation. Scientific evidence is therefore needed regarding the relevance of the FSAm-NPS at the European level. Hence, our objective is to study how the nutritional quality of foods consumed graded by the FSAm-NPS relates to NCDs-related mortality in European populations. Methods Our prospective analyses included 501,594 adults from the EPIC cohort (1992-2015, median follow-up: 17.2y). Usual food intakes were assessed with standardized country-specific methods. The FSAm-NPS was calculated using the 100g content of each food in energy, sugar, saturated fatty acid, sodium, fibres, proteins, and fruits/vegetables/legumes/nuts. Multi-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were computed. Results The consumption of foods with a higher FSAm-NPS score (lower nutritional quality) was associated with a higher risk of mortality overall (n = 50,743 events: HRQ5vs.Q1=1.06 [95%CI: 1.02-1.09], P-trend&lt;0.001) and by cancer (n = 21,971 events: HRQ5vs.Q1=1.06 [1.01-1.11], P-trend=0.003), respiratory diseases (n = 2,796 events: HRQ5vs.Q1=1.33 [1.16-1.52], P-trend&lt;0.001) and cardiovascular diseases, although more weakly (n = 12,407 events: HRQ5vs.Q1=1.05 [0.98,1.11], P-trend=0.04). Conclusions In this large multinational European cohort, consuming foods with a higher FSAm-NPS score was associated with higher mortality, supporting the relevance of the FSAm-NPS to grade the nutritional quality of food products for public health applications (e.g, Nutri-Score) to guide the consumers towards healthier food choices. Key messages The consumption of food products with a lower nutritional quality as graded by the FSAm-NPS score was associated with higher mortality in the large multinational European EPIC cohort. This adds support to the relevance of the FSAm-NPS to grade the nutritional quality of foodstuffs for public health applications (e.g. Nutri-Score label) to help consumers make healthier food choices.

scholarly journals Nutritional quality of some non-alcoholic beverages from the Romanian market

2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Florica Busuricu ◽  
Verginica Schroder ◽  
Doina Margaritti ◽  
Andreea Hortensa Anghel ◽  
Sirma Tomos
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Nutrient Intake ◽  
Soft Drinks ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Fruit Extract ◽  
Energy Value ◽  
The Real ◽  
Nutritional Profile

In the recent years, young consumers choose to consume from the category of soft drinks, without acknowledging that their health may be endangered. To this end, we aim to contribute to the real scientific estimation of the nutrient intake from a number of 20 waters with vitamins and minerals having a reduced addition of fruit extract (1-3%), compared to juices that have 10-30 % fruits extract, from those sold in Romania. We analyzed the presentation of the nutritional declaration, the quality of the additives and the profiling of nutrients through the SENS system. The obtained results classify the products in the category of those with low energy value and in the category “significant sources of vitamins and minerals”; there are from food classes 2 and 4, as a nutritional profile

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