Food Composition Tables for Bangladesh

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Pearl Ray
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1 TERMS OF REFERENCE #13 For the research proposal to be funded under NFPCSP Phase II Food Composition Tables for Bangladesh 1. Background and Rationale Food composition tables (FCT) are considered an essential tool for planning interventions to improve food security, nutrition and health. FCT provide information on the nutrient composition of foods with specific reference to energy, nutrients (e.g. protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals) and other important food components (e.g. fibre, phytonutrients) for each of the foods listed. The nutrient values are either based on chemical analyses carried out in analytical laboratories or are estimated from other appropriate data. Reliable data on the nutrient composition of foods are critical for agricultural planning, setting food and nutrition targets in food planning and policy, dietary and health assessments, formulation of institutional and therapeutic diets, food and nutrition training, plant breeding, nutrition labeling, food regulations and consumer protection. The importance of FCT has also been well recognized in evaluating the adequacy of diets through food consumption surveys, investigating diet and health relationships and as an essential tool in nutrition education. FCT are also a critical source of reference when developing dietary guidelines for different population groups including the most vulnerable and for governments food and health departments and health promotion. Over the last three decades, efforts have been made to develop FCT for Bangladesh. The first report on the nutritive value of 108 raw foods in Bangladesh was published in the Nutritive Values of some common food stuffs (1973) 1. This report was revised, compiled with new and borrowed data, and published in 1977 by the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science (INFS) as a booklet named Deshio Khaddyer Pushtiman (DKP) 2. It was republished in 1980, 1986 and These FCTs included data on 13 nutrients across 338 food items on a raw weight basis. In 1988, Helen Keller International (HKI) in collaboration with World Food Programme (WFP) and Institute of Nutrition and Food Science (INFS) compiled and published the first English version of FCT for Bangladesh named Tables of Nutrient Composition of Bangladeshi Foods 3 which included old and new data from Bangladesh and some 1 Institute of Nutrition (1973). Nutritive values of some common food stuffs. In: Reports of the Research activities of the Institute of Nutrition, University of Dacca, Institute of Nutrition (now INFS) DU, Dhaka. 2 Institute of Nutrition and Food Science (1977). Deshio Khaddyer Poostiman (Food Value of Local Foods), Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka. 3 Darnton-Hill et al.,(1988). Tables of nutrient composition of Bangladesh foods. Helen Keller International, Bangladesh. 1

2 borrowed data from the Indian FCT 4. Other organizations (e.g. Institute of Public Health Nutrition - IPHN) and non-government organizations (e.g. Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders - BIRDEM) also published Tables of Food Composition which originated from DKP. Recent unpublished reports from INFS have compiled and reviewed available and published food composition data of local foods since The effects of cooking and processing on nutrient retention and yield have also been likewise reported. 6 7 INFS has recently developed a computerized nutrient databank following the INFOODS Guidelines 8. While this includes 20 food groups and 700+ foods (unpublished), it is important to include FCT datasets from related organizations so as to have a comprehensive computerized data system for users to obtain information on food composition from various sources. Additionally, FAO/INFOODS has published in 2009 the Compilation Tool 9, an Excel-based tool for the compilation and documentation of food composition data. Despite these efforts, the FCTs currently being used are largely outdated and lack nutrient data of many new varieties of foods including those being consumed by indigenous population groups. Also, the FCT are imprecise since they are based on measures of the nutrient content of raw foods, rather than the cooked foods. Besides, gaps exist in providing nutrient information for nutrition labeling and preparing food exchange lists for normal and therapeutic diet planning in hospitals and institutions in the country. The National Food Policy Plan of Action ( ) 10 (areas of intervention 3.1 and 3.2) and other relevant national policies and plans emphasize the need for updating and establishing national food composition tables. This research will develop these FCT. This will involve critically reviewing available food composition data from different institutes/agencies; and assessing the nutrient content of the new varieties of foods and drinks consumed (e.g. rice, wheat, potato, fruits, vegetables, fish, egg, fruit juice, soft drinks) consumed by the general public as well as ethnic foods consumed by the population of the Chittagong Hill Tract - CHT and other tribal areas. In addition, in order to facilitate users access to food composition 4 Gopalan C, Ramasastri BV and Balasubramaniam SC (1980). Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN/ICMR 5 Safina A (2007). Development of Food Composition Database for Bangladesh. M Sc Thesis, INFS, DU, Dhaka. 6 Nahar B, Banu CP, Malek A, and Salamatullah Q (1988). Effect of length of storage time and cooking on ascorbic acid and carotene contents of vegetables. Bangladesh J Sci Res; 6(1&2): Begum S (2004). Improving Nutrient Composition Data of Bangladeshi Dishes by applying Cooking Yield and Nutrient Retention Data to Recipe Calculations. MSc Thesis, INFS, DU, Dhaka. 8 Rahim ATMA (2007). Bangladesh National Nutrient Databank a computerized database developed on Microsoft Excel (for communication: torabrahim@gmail.com). 9 to be downloaded from FAO/INFOODS website together with user guidelines 10 National Food Policy Plan of Action Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, Government of the People s Republic of Bangladesh. P. xiii. 2

3 data, a comprehensive national dataset, based on the INFS databank, will be developed by drawing upon existing FCT datasets as well as from new data generated by this project. 2. Objectives of the study The objective of this research project is: a. To support the Government of Bangladesh in improving food and dietary planning by developing a national FCT. 3. Scope of the study More specifically, the study will address the following issues: Identification of foods to be included in the published FCT: selection of important foods including major foods being reported in the last two Household Incomes and Expenditure Surveys (HIES). In addition, traditional foods that contribute to biodiversity 11 should be included. Foods should include raw, cooked and processed foods as well as major recipes. The foods will be grouped in a food grouping system based on the one proposed in Greenfield and Southgate (2003). 12 The FCT will include at least 500 foods and recipes. Macro and micro-nutrients to be included in the FCT will be based on those listed in the FAO/INFOODS Compilation Tool. As applicable, anti-nutrients, bioactive compounds, allergens, toxins and selected contaminants can be added. The selection of nutrient values for these components will follow INFOODS guidelines and obsolete methods, definitions and components (e.g. total carbohydrates by difference and crude fiber) will be excluded. The collection, review, compilation and documentation of food composition data from different sources will be carried out following INFOODS guidelines and standards as outlined in the FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Study Guide 13 and preferably by using the Compilation Tool. Data will be derived from international and national scientific literature, institutes/agencies e.g.: INFS and Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry of Dhaka University (DU), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Rajshahi University (RU), Institute of Food Science and Technology-IFST (Bangladesh Council of Scientific and 11 for the definition of foods contributing to biodiversity 12 Greenfield, H. & Southgate, D.A.T Food composition data production, management and use. FAO, Rome 12. Available on ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/008/y4705e/y4705e00.pdf) 13 Available on 3

4 Industrial Research-BCSIR), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases and Research - ICDDR,B and other relevant organizations in Bangladesh. Aggregation and completion of missing data: missing values will be completed through estimation and calculation (in the reference database). Where relevant this will also involve borrowing from other data sources, such food composition tables from other countries (e.g. from ASEAN or India ). For missing data on key foods that cannot be borrowed from other secondary sources, a laboratory analysis is envisaged: at least 20 key foods will be analyzed for missing nutrients including bioactive compounds. All compilation steps will be properly documented. The nutrient values for cooked foods as well as for recipes will be calculated using yield and retention factors and by applying the mixed recipe calculation system. Validation: Participatory workshops involving different stakeholders including end-users of the FCT will be held to validate the FCT and receive recommendations for improvement, finalization and publication of FCT. The study will deliver: A draft inception report within 3 weeks from the date of signing of the contract. The inception report will detail the research programme and the list of components and foods for which food compositional data will be allocated, together with the research methodology (including laboratory analysis) of the food and component selection. A final inception report within 2 months from the date of signing of the contract. The NFPCSP will provide feedback to the draft inception report within 3 weeks of its submission. The research institution will then have 2 additional weeks to finalize and submit the final inception report. An interim report, within 5 months from the date of signing of the contract, presenting the archival database compiled using the Compilation tool version with the compiled data for the agreed components and foods. Draft FCT, within 10 months from the date of signing of the contract, which will include at least 500 foods and recipes, as available, in forms as consumed and will aim to have a complete dataset for at least 30 nutrients in the main table 14 Gopalan et al (2009) Nutritive Value of Indian Foods, NIN, ICMR, Hyderabad, India (Reprinted Version) 15 Puwastien et al ( 1999) Thai Food Composition Tables, INMU, Salaya, Thailand. 16 Available on: 4

5 and as appropriate annexes for selected values of amino acids, fatty acids, and bioactive components. Draft reference database, within 10 months from the date of signing of the contract, compiled using the Compilation tool version with the complete dataset for the agreed components and foods, including draft annexes and the draft FCT which will also list all recipes together with the amounts of ingredients and brief cooking description, compilation method, food grouping, nutrient definition, etc. Final FCT and database, within 12 months from the date of signing of the contract, to be delivered in printed and electronic form. It will include the feedback and adjustments required by the NFPCSP 4. Duration and funding available Maximum duration: 12 months Maximum funding available: US$50,000 5

Research projects and activities on biodiversity, food composition and sustainable diets in ASEANFOODS

Research projects and activities on biodiversity, food composition and sustainable diets in ASEANFOODS Prapasri Puwastien, Ph.D. Coordinator of ASEANFOODS Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Putthamonthon