What s s on the Menu in Europe? - overview and challenges in the first pan- European food consumption survey

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1 What s s on the Menu in Europe? - overview and challenges in the first pan- European food consumption survey Liisa Valsta Data Collection and Exposure Unit

2 What s s on the menu in Europe? Background Attempts to address the needs How can we sharpen our tools? Challenges and actions taken 2

3 Risk assessment Hazard Identification Hazard Characterisation Chemical or microbiological occurrence data Exposure Assessment Food consumption data Risk Characterisation 3

4 Regulation (EC) N 178/2002 EFSA shall search for, collect, collate, analyse and summarise relevant scientific and technical data in the fields within its mission. This shall involve in particular the collection of data relating to food consumption and the exposure of individuals to risks related to the consumption of food ; EFSA shall work in close cooperation with all organisations operating in the field of data collection, including those from applicant countries, third countries or international bodies. 4

5 Geographical variations Geographical variations EU estimated annual beer availability L/adult in 25 Member States (WHO, 2007) Bulgaria Italy France Latvia Greece Sweden Portugal Slovenia Romania Hungary Estonia Lithuania Finland Spain Netherlands Poland Slovakia Belgium Denmark United Kingdom Luxembourg Austria Germany Ireland Czech Republic 5

6 Age and physiological variations Pregnant women Small children Infants Vegetarians, diabetics, Elderly 6

7 Average vs. high consumption Within a risk assessment process, mean consumption levels are not sufficient. It is fundamental to consider also non-average individuals, and in particular high consumers (those who consume relatively large quantities of foods). 7

8 Food description Different types of information is needed based on the different agents and chemical substances under evaluation: Foods consumed must be described, as much as possible, in detail. Composite foods and recipes must be disaggregated into their main components, but also name of the original dish needs to be captured. Additional information e.g. cooking method, other processing, packaging etc. Canned Boiled Brand X Organically grown vegetables 22 October 2010 Minestrone soup Tomatoes, water, onions, pasta, beans, green peas, zucchini, carrots, cheese, chicken stock, olive oil, salt, garlic EFET-Athens 8

9 The way forward Attempts to address the needs 9

10 EFSA Scientific Colloquium A A common database on food consumption would improve the consistency and reliability of exposure assessments carried out by the various EFSA Panels and other experts in Europe Pan-European database Comprehensive database Concise database 10

11 Expert Group Expert Group on Food Consumption data a network of 32 members 32 European countries Platform for exchange of views with the best experts in Europe on ways to harmonise methodologies for the collection and collation of food consumption data To coordinate and facilitate the merger of national food consumption information into a pan-european food consumption database 11

12 Collaborating organisations 12

13 Available outputs CONCISE Broad categories, not covering children, not harmonised,, no FFQ COMPREHENSIVE Detailed categories, partly covering children, not harmonised,, no FFQ 13

14 How can we sharpen our tools? 14

15 Some international initiatives USA has a rolling program on dietary habits called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) that started in the 1960s The China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), an ongoing international collaboration, examines the effects of policies and programs on health and nutritional status 15

16 What s s on the Menu in Europe? (EU Menu) Standardised, detailed consumption data at the individual level would benefit many: 22 October 2010 Food safety risk assessors improving predictive accuracy Food safety risk managers in making better targeted decisions, better legislation High quality risk communication for better consumer awareness In nutrition monitoring and public health policy development curbing life style diseases Industry in reducing compliance costs with possibly less conservative estimates Consumers in providing appropriate protection 16 DG SANCO Luxembourg DG SANCO EFET-Athens Luxembourg

17 Future outputs CONCISE Broad categories, not covering children, not harmonised,, no FFQ COMPREHENSIVE Detailed categories, partly covering children, not harmonised,, no FFQ EU MENU Detailed categories, covering children, harmonised including FFQ 17

18 Challenges and actions taken 18

19 EU Menu challenges 1 Presenting project plan, time line and budget Developing harmonised tools and procedures Creating collaborative MS consortium Linking up with interested external partners Capacity building in the Member States Organising internal and external funding Coordinating the preparation of data collection Collecting food consumption data representative at the EU level Disseminating the results 19

20 EFSA Guidance published 2009 General principles for the collection of national food consumption data in the view of a pan-european dietary survey EFSA needs Sampling method and design Dietary assessment methodologies Administration of the interview Dietary survey tools Non dietary information and quality control Published on the EFSA Journal in December 2009 ( 20

21 EU Menu in short Survey of 80,000 people in total In 27 Member States All food and beverage consumption on 2 non-consecutive days + FFQ allowing modelling of intake distributions Using the EPIC soft software that has been developed and tested through the EU funded projects EFCOSUM, EFCOVAL and IDAMES Anthropometric measurements (e.g. measured weight and height) 22 October 2010 EFET-Athens 21

22 Piloting the methods 1 - Children Pilot study for the Assessment of Nutrient intake and food Consumption Among Kids in Europe (PANCAKE) Project leader: RIVM The main objectives of the project are to: 1.develop tools and procedures for the collection of individual food consumption data for: Infants up to 11 months of age, Toddlers from 12 up to 35 months of age, Other children from 3 to 10 years of age, Breastfeeding mothers. 2.test the above mentioned tools and procedures within a pilot dietary survey conducted in different countries of the EU. 22

23 Piloting the methods 2 - Adults Pilot study in the view of a Pan-European dietary survey Adolescents, adults and elderly The main objectives of the project are to: 1.develop tools and procedures for the collection of individual food consumption and anthropometric data for: adolescents from 10 to 18 years of age, adults from 18 to 64 years of age, elderly from 65 to 74 years of age. 2.test the above mentioned tools and procedures within a pilot dietary survey conducted in different countries of the EU. Deadline: 30 September 2010, evaluation ongoing 23

24 EU Menu challenges 2 Supporting the Member States in future activities Continuing harmonising tools and procedures Carrying out the pilots and improving the methods Assuring the best synergies (food safety, nutrition monitoring, research) by collaboration with other key actors in the field Managing and coordinating of collection of food consumption data representative at the EU level Funding the EU Menu activities at the EU level and in the Member States Keeping the EU Menu spirit up 24

25 Thank you Cooperation with Member States Harmonised approach 25