Food Composition and Biodiversity

Barbara Burlingame, PhDPrincipal Officer

Nutrition and Consumer Protection DivisionFAO

INFOODS• Established in 1984 • Under UNU and FAO. • IUNS Task Force• Coordination since

1999 in FAO

• Objective: to stimulate and coordinate efforts to improve the quality and availability of food analysis data worldwide

AFROFOODSASEANFOODS

CARICOMFOODS

EUROFOODS

LATINFOODS

NESIAFOODSMEFOODSNORAMFOODS

OCEANIAFOODS

SAARCFOODS

CARKFOODS

International Collaboration

• INFOODS (International Network of Food Data Systems)

• EuroFIR (European Food Information Resource Network)

INFOODS achievements• Standards and guidelines• Capacity development• Tool development: FCDBMS: Compilation Tool • Publications and Declarations• Databases and tables • Laboratory Quality Assurance • Biodiversity

Standards and guidelines• Component identifiers also called tagnames: Since 1989 over 800

tagnames published• Food nomenclature (Truswell et al., 1991)

• Interchange of food composition data (Klensin 1992; FAO, 2004)

• Guidelines on compilation of food composition data (Rand et al., 1991)

• New energy conversion factors (FAO, 2003)

• Food matching guidelines (FAO/INFOODS, 2011)

• Guidelines on Conversion among different Units, Denominators and Expressions in preparation

• Guidelines on Checking Food Composition Data prior to the Release of a User Database in preparation

New

New

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Capacity development

• Involved in/ co-organized over 20 international training courses

• Organized 10 training courses • Published distance learning tool Food composition

Study Guide in English, French and Spanish together with 12 PowerPoint presentations summarizing the main points of the modules

Publications

Food CompositionData Production, Management and Use.English: 2003Spanish: 2006French: 2007

Fat (g/100g)

AOAC: Total lipid

TG equivalents

Minus wax esters

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Orangeroughy

Food Composition Study Guide developed by FAO/INFOODS

Objectives• To reach a wider audience cost-effectively,wider audience cost-effectively,

which otherwise would never be served• To assist learners to fill their specific knowledgefill their specific knowledge

gapsgaps and assess their knowledge acquisition • To assist learners to perform betterperform better when

generating, managing or using food composition data

• To assist teachersassist teachers to prepare lessons and test students

Target Population• self-learners, FoodComp courses, universities:

compilers and users and also analysts; teachers and students

New

Some examples (3)Software packages for intake assessment or labelling• On INFOODS website ‘softwares’(examples)

– WorldFood Dietary Assessment System – CBORD– ESHA Research (commercial): (1) Nutrient Analysis

Programs; (2) Nutrient Processor and (3) on-line Food Prodigy; http://www.esha.com

• Nutritionist Pro (commercial): (1) Nutritionist Pro™ Knowledge Base (DB); (2) Nutritionist Pro™ Diet Analysis and (3) Nutritionist Pro™ Food Labeling http://www.nutritionistpro.com/

• Optifoods (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicince, UK) for recipe/diet formulation meeting nutrient requirements (under pilot testing)

Tool development: FCDBMS• FCDBMS is needed to compile a FCDB • FCDBMS exist:

– for national/regional programmes– commercial products for different uses (e.g. labelling)– for certain projects

• No FCDBMS exists for international use as yet• BUT especially developing countries and researchers

do not have the financial means to develop their own FCDBMS software

Compilation Tool was developed by FAO/INFOODS to fill this gap (in Excel allowing data compilation according to INFOODS standards and to document all data)

New

Publications and Declarations• Food Composition Data: A User's Perspective (Rand et al., 1987)

• Food Composition Data – production, management and use (Greenfield & Southgate) In English (2003), Spanish (2006), French (2007) and Korean (2008)

• Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (JFCA) was the official INFOODS journal from 1987 to 2010

• Indigenous Peoples' food systems: the many dimensions of culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and health. (Kuhnlein et al., 2009)

• AFROFOODS declaration (2010)

• Bangkok Declaration (2009) from the 8th International Food Data Conference

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Laboratory Quality Assurance

• Several proficiency testing (PT) were organized, especially in ASEANFOODS countries. More PTs are planned in SAARCFOODS countries

• Strengthening laboratory capacity in food composition (including accreditation) in the South Pacific in 2002-2004 through FAO

• ASEAN Manual of Nutrient Analysis (2011) New

Databases and tables (1)

• co-published 9 FCTs: ASEANFOODS (2000), LATINFOODS (2002), Pacific Islands (1994, 2004), Lesotho (2006), Brazil (2008), Armenia (2011), Composition of selected foods in West Africa (2010), West African Food Composition Table (2012)

• FAO/INFOODS Density Database (2011)

Future work: co-publish more national and regional FCDBs and DBs on yield and retention factors

NewNew

New

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Databases and tables (2)

• Many FCTs/FCDBs compile data from existing sources (often USDA) and are not well documented

• Analytical data are missing especially in developing countries (specifically minerals and vitamins) and on food biodiversity

• FAO/INFOODS is compiling FCDBs with solely analytical data (one for biodiversity and one for all foods) to avoid reuse of compiled data of compilations

Regional Tables

Food Composition

Technical Barrier to Trade

• Nutrient labelling, nutrition claims, health claims

• RDI’s, DV’s, % contributions• Identification of food by component• Identification of components and

methods• Proportion of ingredients as standards• Processes affecting nutrient content• Units of measure and serving size

Detentions and Confiscations at US Borders

Low AcidCanned Food

30%

Microbiological Contamination

16%

Decomposition 1% Filth

16%Others

4%

Heavy Metals2%

Labelling21%

Mold2%

Pesticide Residues

3%

Food Additives4%

Bangkok DeclarationThe delegates to the 8th International Food Data Conference, in• Recognizing the importance of food composition data to nearly all

activities in nutrition,• And the continuing need for quality food composition data for the

sectors of health, agriculture, the environment and food trade, • Agree to promote the science of food composition in many diverse

forums, including national, regional and international conferences,• to undertake advocacy in the context of policy and programme

development, • to insure the integration of food composition principles in relevant

activities,• and support in various ways the continuing development,

maintenance and updating of food composition databases within sustainable infrastructures.

•Note that the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of food biodiversity is contributing greatly to the increases in poverty and malnutrition in Africa;• Recognize that returning to local crops and traditional food systems is a prerequisite for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for food and nutrition;• Acknowledge that local foods are the basis for African sustainable diets.

The Door of No Return

House of the Slaves

Gorée Island

•Urge that food composition data be emphasized as the fundamental information underpinning almost all activities in the field of nutrition;• Call upon the sectors of public health, agriculture, and environment and food trade to help reinforce and assist with the improvement of food composition data, particularly on local foods;• Request that the contribution of food composition be credited as one of the most important components for action in nutrition and food quality, food safety, and food and nutrition security;

•We invite all sectors to place AFROFOODS on the national, regional and international agenda for all food and nutrition activities in Africa through interdisciplinary strategic plans for achieving the relevant MDGs; and therefore, from the Door of Return of the House of the Slaves of Gorée-Dakar, we accept the challenge ourselves and send this call for action to our colleagues, as well as to governments, the private sector and financial entities, to strengthen AFROFOODS activities in a renewed commitment to an African food renaissance.

Summary• INFOODS assist countries through guidelines, tools and DB• North America and other developed countries are well advanced in

FCDB and applications and are source of data for other countries• An increasing number of FCTs/FCDB are published, also on-line and

free-of-charge following US example• Analytical data are still missing for many foods, especially in

developing countries and on food biodiversity and for processed foods

• Food biodiversity are missing• These data could then be used to promote food-based approaches

(without or limited fortification and supplementation)• With more awareness by consumers and agriculture more

nutritious and delicious food supply and more consumers eat these foods

Contacts

• INFOODS website http://www.fao.org/infoods/index_en.stm

• ruth.charrondiere@fao.org

Biodiversity: three levels

Trends in world hunger

Where do the hungry live?

CFSRoma, 14th October 2010

Overweight trends by World Bank income groupings

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

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12.0

13.0

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Year

LIC LMIC UMIC HIC

Ove

rwei

gh

t (%

)

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1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Year

LIC LMIC UMIC HIC

Ove

rwei

gh

t (%

)

Source : WHO

CFSRoma, 14th October 2010

Stunting prevalence and number affected in developing countries

1990 2000 2010

01

02

03

04

05

0

Stu

nti

ng

(%

)

40.3

48.6

23.7

39.337.7

18.1

38.2

27.6

13.5

1990 2000 2010

05

01

00

15

02

00

Nu

mb

er

of

stu

nte

d (

mil

lio

ns

)

45

190

13

51

138

10

60

100

7

AFRICA ASIA LATIN AMERICASource: Department of Nutrition, World Health Organization

CFSRoma, 14th October 2010

Overweight prevalence and number affected in developing countries

1990 2000 2010

02

46

810

Ove

rwei

gh

t (%

)

4

3.2

6.8

5.7

3.7

6.8

8.5

4.9

6.9

1990 2000 2010

05

1015

20

Nu

mb

er o

f o

ver

we

igh

t (m

illio

ns)

4

13

4

7

14

4

13

18

4

AFRICA ASIA LATIN AMERICASource: Department of Nutrition, World Health Organization

Millennium Development Goals

Goal 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

– Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

Goal 7. Ensure environmental sustainability

– reverse the loss of environmental resources– reduce biodiversity loss

CBD Conference of the PartiesDecision VII/32 (Kuala Lumpur, 2004)• Noting the linkage between biodiversity, food and nutrition

and the need to enhance sustainable use of biodiversity to combat hunger and malnutrition, and thereby contribute to target 2 of goal 1 of the Millennium Development Goals

• Requests ...FAO ...to...bring forward options for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting for a cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition...to work together with relevant organizations, in order to strengthen existing initiatives on food and nutrition, enhance synergies and fully integrate biodiversity concerns into their work.

Decision VIII/23A (Curitiba, 2006)• Adopts the framework for a cross-cutting initiative on

biodiversity for food and nutrition.

The COP is the governing body of the Convention, and advances implementation of the Convention through the decisions it takes at its periodic meetings.

Improving the Evidence

Food Biodiversity• Two Nutritional Indicators for Biodiversity in English,

French and Spanish:1. on food composition (FAO, 2008) yearly reporting (in 2008

over 4700 foods reported, in 2011 a total of 12800 mainly from scientific literature)

2. on food consumption (2010 and 2011) reporting every second year (in 2009 over 3000 food reported in food consumption surveys on food biodiversity, in 2011 increase to 4900 foods)

• FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Database for Biodiversity. Only analytical data. First edition in 2010 with 2400 foods, in 2011 with 2600 foods, and in April 2012 over 6000 foods

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Biodiversity & Nutrition Rationale

• Wild species and intraspecies biodiversity have key roles in global food and nutrition security

• Different varieties have statistically different nutrient contents

• Acquiring nutrient data on existing biodiversity needs to be a prerequisite for decision-making in GMO work

• Nutrient content needs to be among criteria in cultivar promotion

• Sample and generate nutrient data for wild foods and individual cultivars

• Compile these data systematically and centrally and disseminate widely

• Include biodiversity questions and/or prompts in food consumption surveys

• Acquiring nutrient data and intake data for varieties is essential in order to understand the impact of biodiversity on food security

Food Biodiversity

Resource NutrientWheat, cultivated

and wildTriticumfour species100+ varieties

Protein, amino acids, B-vitamins, vitamin E, fatty acids

Apricots Prunus armeniaca,more than 140

varieties

ß-carotene, lutein, lycopene, anthocyanins, vitamin C

Grapes Vitis viniferaThousands of

varieties

Vitamin C, organic acids, anthocyanins, resveratrol, many phytochemicals

Extent of genetic uniformity in rice

Cultivar Differences in Nutrient Content

International Rice Commission20th Session

The Commission recommended that:• Existing biodiversity of rice varieties and their

nutritional composition need to be explored before engaging in transgenics.

• Nutrient content needs to be among the criteria in cultivar promotion.

• Cultivar-specific nutrient analysis and data dissemination should be systematically undertaken.

FAO (2002). Report of the International Rice Commission 20th Session (23-26 July 2002, Bangkok). FAO, Rome.

Traditional use and availability of aquatic biodiversity in rice-based ecosystems

Cambodia China Laos

Fish 70 52 27

Crustaceans 6 2 5

Molluscs 1 4 8

Amphibians 2 4 10

Insects 2 3 16

Reptiles 8 - 7

Aquatic Plants 13 19 20

Total 102 84 93

Source: Balzer, Balzer, Pon, 2002; Luo, Xaypladeth

International Rice Commission20th Session

The Commission recommended that:• Member countries should promote the sustainable

development of aquatic biodiversity in rice-based ecosystems and policy decisions and management measures should enhance the living aquatic resource base.

• In areas where wild fish are depleted, rice-fish farming should be considered as a means of enhancing food security and securing sustainable rural development.

• Attention should be given to the nutritional contribution of aquatic organisms in the diet of rural people who produce or depend on rice.

FAO (2002). Report of the International Rice Commission 20th Session (23-26 July 2002, Bangkok). FAO, Rome.

Sweet potato varieties: α - and β-carotene, mg/100g fresh wt

Variety %Moisture β-carotene α-carotene Orange Flesh

Excel 77.8 (0.8) 12.8 (0.1) < 0.1

Kona B # 77.8 (0.6) 6.7 (0.2) 1.5 (0.2)

Regal 77.2 (2.1) 13.1 (0.7) < 0.1

UH 71-5 # 70.3 (1.1) 8.0 (0.1) < 0.1

Yellow/White Flesh

Hoolehua Red # 70.4 (2.7) 0.2 (0.1) < 0.1

Satsuma # 68.3 (0.2) 0.6 (0.1) < 0.1 n=6, values in parentheses are standard errors. # Varieties are recommended by the University of Hawaii Extension

Service for good yield and disease resistance. Source: A. S. Huang, L. Tanudjaja, D. Lum. Journal of Food

Composition and Analysis, Vol. 12, No. 2, Jun 1999, pp. 147-151.

Bananas and vitamin A

<5 µg carotenes <8500 µg

carotenes

  Proteing

Fibreg

Ironmg

Vitamin C mg

Beta-Carotenemcg

Rice 5.6 - 14.6

  0.7 - 6.4    

Cassava 0.7-6.4  0.9-1.5  0.9-2.5  25-34  <5-790

Potato 1.4-2.9 1-2.23 0.3-2.7 6.4-36.9 1-7.7

Sweet potato

1.3-2.1 0.7-3.9 0.6-14 2.4-35 100-23100

Taro 1.1-3 2.1-3.8 0.6-3.6 0-15 5-2040

Eggplant   9 - 19   50 - 129  

Mango 0.3 - 1.0 1.3-3.8 0.4-2.8 22-110 20 – 4320

GAC         6180 – 13720

Apricot 0.8-1.4 1.7-2.5 0.3-0.9 3.5-16.5 200-7000 (beta carotene equivalent)

Banana     0.1-1.6  2.5-17.5 <1 – 8500

Differences in food composition

Impact of food biodiversity on dietary adequacy

Banana β-carotenecontent in mcg/100 g

Banana intakein Philippinesin g/d/p

Vitamin Aintake throughbanana inmcg RE/d/p

%RDI for vitamin Acovered by bananaintake

USDA 26 93 4 0.7

Lacatan 360 93 56 9.3

Utin Iap 8510 93 1320 220

26th FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR EUROPE

Innsbruck, Austria, 26-27 June 2008

• Promotion of Traditional Regional Agricultural and Food Products: A Further

Step Towards Sustainable Rural Development

The Conference• Many delegations highlighted the Mediterranean Diet as

rich in biodiversity and nutritionally healthy. The promotion of the Mediterranean Diet could play a beneficial role in the sustainable development of agriculture in the Mediterranean region.

• remarked that the goal of increased global food production, including bio fuel, should be balanced against the need to protect biodiversity, ecosystems, traditional foods and traditional agricultural practices.

Challenges

BIODIVERSITY

BIODIVERSITY

Technical WorkshopBiodiversity and Sustainable Diets

31 May & 1 June 2010

Survey Results

Survey Results

Definition of Sustainable Diets

Sustainable Diets are those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources.

Code of Conduct for Sustainable Diets Premable

• Recognizing that the health of humans cannot be isolated from the health of ecosystems;• Conscious that food is an unequalled way of providing ideal nutrition for all ages and life cycles/stages; • Recognizing that the conservation and sustainable use of food biodiversity is an important part of human and ecosystem well-being;• Recognizing that when ecosystems are able to support sustainable diets, nutrition programmes, policies and interventions supporting the use of supplements, RUTF, fortificants, and infant formulas are inappropriate and can lead to malnutrition, and that the marketing of these food substitutes and related products can contribute to major public health problems...

WATER

Animal protein “costs” more water

protein content and protein quality calculations

calculations per 100g dry matter

protein waste with intakes above recommendations = water waste

water cost for other foods+nutrients

Livestock

Composition of milk from minor dairy animals and buffalo breeds: a biodiversity perspective

Elinor Medhammar, Ramani Wijesinha-Bettoni, Barbara Stadlmayr, Emma Nilsson, Ute Ruth Charrondiere, Barbara Burlingame

Nutrients, ecosystems and traditions

• Mongolia– landlocked– food insecure

• n-3 fatty acids– FAO/WHO = 2 g/day

• Mares’ milk, local breed, genetic trait

• Biodiversity of grasslands

COP 10

• Tackle destructive impacts of food production

• Plan how the world achieves food security before ecosystems reach critical tipping points

• Address the root cause of the problem: the ways in which we meet our need for food.

Biodiversity and nutrition

• Dietary energy supply can be satisfied without diversity

• Micronutrient supply cannot be satisfied without diversity