A comprehensive global review of country-level food composition databases using a food science frame of reference

: Background Country-level food composition databases should aim to be national resources that contain the nutrient values of the food produced and eaten within a country. The basis of the databases is food science, including the chemical analysis of the nutrients, and the processing and cooking methods used. Scope and Approach This review undertook a rigorous, systematic search to obtain country-level food composition databases available online from across the world. It found 107 databases and reviewed them for 80 categories including types of foods, number and groups of nutrients, cooking and processing methods and the origins of their data. Key Findings and Conclusions Most food composition databases contain traditional foods (104) and raw plant (100) and animal (96) foods, but only a few contain newer food types such as meat analogues (20). The most included cooking and processing methods were all traditional or long-established practices of dried (97), fermented (93), oil (91) and ground foods (89), while newer and more technologically advanced methods were far less represented. 68 databases included analysed data from the chemical analysis of foods, whilst 46 include imputed or calculated values which are not primary data from food analysis. Using food science as a frame of reference to review food composition databases shows challenges include terminology, and keeping up with new technologies in food analysis and food processing. Food composition databases should be scientifically sound, nationally relevant and user-friendly so they are valuable national resources about a country’s food supply.