Jul 2026· Journal of Food Composition and Analysis· Vol 157, pp. 109377· 0 citations· 21 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Compared database-calculated values with laboratory-analyzed energy, protein, fat, and trace mineral concentrations in two controlled 5-day dietary patterns indicate that nutrient databases may over- or underestimate key nutrients depending on category, brand, formulation, and preparation.
Abstract
Nutrient databases are widely used to calculate the composition of research diets, yet their accuracy relative to laboratory measurements remain uncertain. We compared database-calculated values with laboratory-analyzed energy, protein, fat, and trace mineral concentrations in two controlled 5-day dietary patterns—the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Healthy Eating Pattern (DGA-HEP) and a typical American eating pattern (TAEP)—prepared in independent triplicate and analyzed as technical replicates, using a descriptive approach with a >10% relative-difference threshold. Energy and fat generally agreed between laboratory analyses and database estimates, whereas protein was consistently higher by laboratory analysis (DGA-HEP: +13 ± 2%; TAEP: +25 ± 5%). Trace minerals showed nutrient-specific discrepancies, with sodium systematically higher by laboratory analysis (~+14% to +40% across days) and iron systematically lower (~−15% to −58% across days) for both patterns; other minerals varied by nutrient and day. These results indicate that nutrient databases may over- or underestimate key nutrients depending on category, brand, formulation, and preparation. When precise composition is essential for study design or interpretation, targeted laboratory validation—particularly for protein, sodium, and iron—may be warranted.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) has many important roles in maintaining health and preventing disease. As a water-soluble vitamin, it cannot be synthesized endogenously or stored, therefore must be obtained regularly in sufficient amounts from the diet. The present study examined vitamin C intakes and contributors in a United Kingdom population and used dietary modelling to examine the impact of adding or replacing fruit juice (FJ) on vitamin C intakes in participants within the United Kingdom National Diet and Nutrition survey (NDNS 2016–2019; n = 3,558). Results indicated that 40% of this population consumed FJ which contributed to 25% of vitamin C intakes across all ages. Vitamin C from foods and drinks typically exceeded Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI) (30–40 mg/day), although <10% of the population fell below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and <2% were below lower RNI (LRNI). Theoretical modelling showed that increasing numbers of FJ consumers would increase mean intakes of vitamin C. However, a greater effect on the proportion meeting Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for vitamin C was observed by broadening FJ consumption rather than by increasing the amounts consumed by existing consumers. This also had a minimal impact on free sugar intakes. Therefore encouraging more people to include a one daily 150 mL serving of FJ in their diet (as opposed to suggesting increased intake within current consumers), would positively impact on vitamin C intakes within the United Kingdom population, whilst also helping to achieve the national “5-a-day” recommendation via a convenient, accessible dietary choice.
A. Hill, Emily Royle, G. Horgan et al.· Frontiers in Nutrition· 0 citations
Food composition databases are critical for dietary surveillance and commonly used in epidemiological research but must be actively managed to reflect a dynamic food supply. This study presents a practical framework for flagging foods and nutrients where current individual-sample data may warrant review of legacy database values. Herein we compare new individual-sample data to legacy data obtained on composited samples. The fatty acid (FA) profile of farmed Atlantic salmon demonstrates fatty acid species differences not apparent at the class level. While total polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) appeared unchanged between the two datasets, the new profile was 2.4-fold higher in linoleic acid (from 0.900 to 2.152 g/100 g) and 3.4-fold higher in α-linolenic acid than legacy data (0.148 to 0.510 g/100 g), with decreases in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations. These nutritionally consequential shifts were flagged using a proposed practical concordance framework that compares current individual-sample Foundation Foods estimates with legacy SR values and prioritizes nutrients for further database review. This case study underscores the necessity of continuous investment in food analysis using modern, individual-sample methods. Implementing this framework may help the Foundation Foods sampling program prioritize foods and nutrients where current individual-sample data suggest meaningful divergence from legacy database values.
I. Zabetakis, Stuart McMillan, Marwa Mamdouh Tawfik et al.· Frontiers in Nutrition· 0 citations
Background: The 2025 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) revised the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDRs), but evidence regarding their association with metabolic syndrome (MS) is limited. Methods: We analyzed data from 14,768 Korean adults aged ≥19 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2022–2024. Macronutrient intake ratios were classified according to the revised KDRIs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and dietary factors. Isocaloric substitution analyses estimated the associations of replacing 5% of energy from carbohydrate with fat or protein while maintaining total energy intake. Results: Overall adherence to all three AMDRs was not significantly associated with prevalent MS. Carbohydrate intake > 65%E and fat intake < 15%E were associated with higher odds of prevalent MS, whereas fat intake > 30%E and protein intake > 20%E were associated with lower odds. Significant sex interactions were observed for carbohydrate and fat intake categories, while no significant age interactions were found for the categorical analyses. Theoretical isocaloric substitution of 5%E from carbohydrate with fat or protein was associated with lower odds of prevalent MS, with significant interaction by sex for fat substitution and by age group for both fat and protein substitutions. Conclusions: In this cross-sectional analysis, higher carbohydrate and lower fat intake were associated with higher odds of prevalent MS, whereas higher fat and protein intake and theoretical isocaloric substitution of carbohydrate with fat or protein were associated with lower odds.
The purpose of this project was to investigate the nutrient density and nutritional value of meat products, seafood products, and plant-derived protein food products using the 2015 Canadian Nutrient File database. Particular emphasis was placed on comparing nutrient density before and after cooking or preparation, as well as evaluating the cost of foods relative to the nutrients they provide using Canadian retail prices collected over a five-month period. Overall, meat and seafood products were consistently rich sources of protein and key micronutrients, including zinc and vitamin B12, whereas many plant-derived protein foods, including kale, broccoli, spinach, lentils, beans, and quinoa, contained substantially lower protein concentrations on both an uncooked (as purchased) and cooked (as prepared) basis. Although the concentrations of nutrients such as fat, iron, phosphorus, and sodium varied among food products, these findings demonstrate meaningful differences in nutrient density and nutrient cost across protein food categories. These results provide a useful framework for consumers, health professionals, and policymakers when evaluating nutrient-rich protein food choices and underscore the importance of considering both nutrient composition and economic value in dietary recommendations. Future research should extend these comparisons by incorporating direct analytical measurements of foods, assessments of protein quality and indispensable amino acid digestibility, mineral bioavailability, and the effects of food processing and preparation on nutrient utilization to better characterize the nutritional contributions of diverse protein food sources.
Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) for dogs comprise heterogeneous commercial and home-prepared products that differ in formulation, processing, storage, and quality control. This critical narrative review evaluates RMBDs within a One Health framework, integrating evidence on nutritional adequacy, biological effects, microbiological hazards, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), zoonotic transmission, and environmental sustainability. Literature was identified through PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and CAB Abstracts from January 2000 through August 2026, supplemented by reference-list and regulatory searches; evidence was weighted qualitatively according to study design, directness, sample size, analytical validity, control of alternative explanations, and consistency. Analytical studies show product-specific nutrient deviations in both commercial and home-prepared diets, but these findings should not be generalized to all RMBDs. Short-term studies often report high apparent total-tract digestibility and diet-associated changes in faecal microbiota and metabolites; however, comparisons frequently differ in ingredients, moisture, fibre, starch, fat, and energy density, limiting attribution to raw processing itself, and long-term clinical superiority has not been demonstrated. Contamination of raw pet food with Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales is repeatedly documented. Raw feeding has also been repeatedly associated with increased faecal carriage of resistant E. coli in observational studies, although residual confounding remains possible. Environmental evidence is less mature and largely derives from pet foods generally: impacts are driven principally by the type and quantity of animal-derived ingredients, whereas additional effects of freezing, freeze-drying, transport, and storage are product- and system-dependent. Overall, RMBDs warrant product-specific and household-specific risk assessment rather than categorical judgement. Veterinary counselling should emphasize nutritionally complete formulation, transparent quality assurance, pathogen-reduction processes that reduce but do not eliminate microbiological risk, and strict hygiene while acknowledging uncertainty in long-term comparative outcomes.
Background/Objectives: This study characterized compositional variation among 996 foods and beverages retained from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito Food Chemical Composition Table after record-level quality control. Methods: Nineteen nutritional variables were evaluated using descriptive statistics, heteroscedastic one-way analysis of variance, rank correlations, principal component analysis, and hierarchical clustering. Missingness was substantial and non-random across food groups; 427 records contained all 19 variables and were used for multivariate analyses. Results: Welch tests with Holm correction identified food-group differences for all variables, although the magnitude of group separation ranged from small for vitamin A (η2 = 0.029, 95% CI 0.016–0.061) to large for carbohydrates (η2 = 0.590, 95% CI 0.555–0.632) and energy (η2 = 0.588, 95% CI 0.530–0.654). Spearman analysis showed strong expected compositional associations between total fat and monounsaturated fatty acids (ρ = 0.956) and between total fat and saturated fatty acids (ρ = 0.937), together with non-arithmetic associations involving protein, phosphorus, zinc, cholesterol, and vitamin B12. Parallel analysis retained four principal components, which explained 61.4% of total variance; the first two accounted for 40.2% and primarily represented energy-lipid-mineral covariation and lipid composition. Ward clustering in the full 19-dimensional standardized space supported a three-cluster solution (silhouette = 0.482; median subsampling adjusted Rand index = 0.845), comprising a broad mixed profile, a fiber- and mineral-dense profile, and an oil-dominant profile. Conclusions: These results describe compositional patterns within the USFQ database and provide a reproducible basis for database harmonization, nutrient profiling, and hypothesis generation. They do not estimate dietary intake, food availability, nutritional adequacy, or health outcomes in the Ecuadorian population.
Unknown authors· Nutrients· 0 citations
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