Food Composition Explained

– Fernanda Grande, PhD –

Select appropriate data

Learn about Food Composition Data principles to be able to choose high-quality and appropriate data for different purposes.

Create or update databases

Improve your knowledge of food composition to prepare high-quality databases, according to international standards and guidelines.

Download tools and documents

Access tools for data management and collections of documents of great relevance for food composition data compilers.

About us

Food Composition Explained was created by Fernanda Grande in 2020 to share knowledge and experiences on this topic with both data users and compilers. The content provided is based on publications, standards and guidelines stablished by the International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS).

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Who am I?

Experienced Nutritionist working as a food composition data compiler for more than ten years. Consultant on Food Composition since 2015 at Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). PhD in Sciences by the University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil. Food composition skills include elaboration, management and use of food composition data in compliance with international standards. 
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My experience

  • Contribution to eight published food composition tables/databases
  • Contribution to two FAO/INFOODS guidelines
  • Eight published scientific articles
  • Three book chapters
  • Several oral presentations at international conferences and meetings
  • Training several staff members, including  an official FAO/INFOODS training
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Explore content

Learn why food composition data are so important and how food composition tables and databases are developed.

This section describes the steps for developing or updating food composition tables or databases.

Find out the principles of recipe calculation and how to use a template to perform the appropriate procedure.

List of Food Composition Tables and Databases available free-of-charge for download in Excel format.

Basic Principles

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Figure out how FCTs/FCDBs are created regarding the different types of data that are used.

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Definition of food matching, some challenges and the Guidelines developed by FAO/INFOODS for Food Matching

Recommended websites

  • International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS) (link)
  • European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) (link)
  • FAO/INFOODS e-learning Course on Food Composition Data, 2013 (link)
  • Compilers’ Toolbox prepared by Anders Møller, Danish Food Informatics (link)

Recommended references

  • Food Composition Data: Production, Management and Use (available in English, Spanish and French) (link)
  • FAO/INFOODS Study Guide (link)

Food Composition Data Management

Coming soon

Recommended references

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Recipe Calculation

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Basic principles of recipe calculation and the steps for calculating the nutrient content of multi-ingredient recipes.

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Learn how you can use the Excel template to make your recipe calculations with a practical example. 

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Theory and practice in calculating nutrient values of cooked foods and mixed dishes according to FAO/INFOODS standards.

Do you want to receive by email the Recipe Calculation Template in Excel?

Fill out the form and you will receive an email with the link to download the excel file.

Recommended references

  • FAO/INFOODS e-learning Course on Food Composition Data, 2013 (Unit 5, Lesson 5.2 Recipe Calculation) (link)
  • Vásquez-Caicedo A.L, Bell S. and Hartmann, B. Report on collection of rules on use of recipe calculation procedures including the use of yield and retention factors for imputing nutrient values for composite foods. 2008. (PDF)
  • Matthews R.H. and Garrison Y.J. Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 102: Washington, D.C., revised September 1975. (PDF)
  • EuroFIR Guideline on calculation of nutrient content of foods for food business operators (link)

Food Composition Tables and Databases

Food Composition Tables and Databases listed below are available for download free-of-charge in Excel format facilitating data usage:

Questions, doubts or suggestions?

Send us a message!

 We will reply your message as soon as possible. 

You can fill out the form or contact us at fernandagrande@foodcomponline.info 

Food Composition Explained. Copyright © 2020 Fernanda Grande. All rights reserved. 

The content of this website is continuously reviewed and updated.

Last update 29.03.2021