Norma Samman

Progress with a global branded food composition database

Excess energy, saturated fat, sugar and salt from processed and fast foods are a major cause of chronic disease worldwide. In 2010 The Food Monitoring Group established a global branded food composition database to track the nutritional content of foods and make comparisons between countries, food companies and over time. A protocol for the project was agreed and published in 2011 with 24 collaborating countries. Standardised tools and a website have been developed to facilitate data collection and entry. In 2010 data were obtained from nine countries, in 2011 from 12 and in 2012 data are anticipated from 10 additional countries. This collaborative approach to the collation of food composition data offers potential for cross-border collaboration and support in developed and developing countries. The project should contribute significantly to tracking progress of the food industry and governments towards commitments made at the recent UN high level meeting on chronic disease.

Sensory evaluation and acceptability of gluten-free Andean corn spaghetti

BACKGROUND Although pasta is one of the most widely demanded products among gluten-intolerant people, few studies have focused on the sensory analysis and acceptability of these products. Spaghetti was made from Andean corn (Zea mays var. amylacea), capia and cully varieties from northern Argentina, and the flash profile technique was applied by semi-trained assessors to compare the sensory profile of this type of spaghetti with those made with rice and wheat flours. Acceptability of capia corn spaghetti was studied in celiac and non-celiac consumer groups using a 9-point hedonic scale and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions. RESULTS Two Andean corn spaghetti samples were described by assessors as rough, odd-smelling and odd-tasting. These terms were also used by non-celiac consumers to describe the capia corn spaghetti sample, which explained its low acceptability scores. However, celiac consumers assigned high acceptability scores to the same sample and described it as tasty, smooth, tender, novel, having a pleasant flavor and good quality, and as a product that can be consumed every day and by the whole family. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that Andean corn flours are a suitable and acceptable product for celiac consumers and can be used in the production of spaghetti for celiac consumers but should be reformulated for non-celiac consumers.

Nutritional status and dietary habits of the population of the Calchaqui Valleys of Tucumán, Argentina

OBJECTIVE To assess the nutritional status and dietary habits of the adult population of the Calchaqui Valleys of Tucuman. METHODS A cross-sectional nutritional survey that included one 24-h recall, a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements was conducted in a representative sample of 113 adult participants. Pregnant and lactating women were excluded. Overweight and obesity were assessed according to body mass index, and the percentage of individuals with cardiovascular risk according to waist circumference and waist-to-hip circumference ratio was determined. Dietary habits were described according to the mean nutrient and food intakes of men and women. RESULTS Means ± standard deviations for total energy intake of men and women were 1856 ± 859 and 1589 ± 799 kcal/d, respectively. The average body mass indices of men and women were 26.8 and 26.7 kg/m(2), respectively. Thirty-seven percent of the population was overweight and 22.8% was obese, whereas 1.8% of the population was undernourished. Central adiposity was high (mean waist circumferences 99.8 and 87.3 cm in men and women, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Despite the low average energy intake, the population under study showed a high prevalence of overweight and obesity and a high risk of cardiovascular disease according to the central adiposity values. These findings could be explained by the introduction of new high-energy foods and a sedentary lifestyle or the possibility that the biological characteristics of these individuals make them more predisposed to a rapid increase in adiposity.