From Farm to Nutrition Facts Panel:

Understanding the Process

January 11, 2012 Presenters:

Joanne M. Holden, MS – Research Leader, Nutrient Data Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition

Data CenterConstance J. Geiger, PhD, RD, CD - President,

Geiger & Associates, LLCModerator:

James M. Rippe, MD – Leading cardiologist, Founder and Director, Rippe Lifestyle Institute

Approved for 1 CPE (Level 2) by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Commission on Dietetic Registration and the American Culinary Federation

NUTRI-BITES®

Webinar Series

• Original recording of the January 11, 2012 webinar and PDF download of presentation available at: www.ConAgraFoodsScienceInstitute.com

From Farm to Nutrition Facts Panel:Understanding the Process

This webinar covered: The sources of variability in food products and

the efforts taken to mitigate this variability in the USDA nutrient reference data base.

Processes and regulations required for nutrition facts panel development and claims.

Suggestions of how to apply knowledge of nutrient variability and regulatory requirements into diet counseling and education about nutrition labeling.

Nutri-Bites® Summary

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

What is the Standard Reference database?

How is the Standard Reference database used?

The U.S. “reference” source for food composition data

Sometimes called “Standard Reference” or SR

Contains data for >7900 foods

<145 nutrients and other dietary components

Generic estimates for raw, processed, and prepared fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, grains

Brand name and/or generic estimates for RTE cereals, selected fast foods, candies, beverages

Annual releases – SR 24 (Sept 2011)

Products provide the foundation for most other databases- National surveys: NHANES: What We Eat in America - Therapeutic, clinical, and research databases (NDS-R)- Product development, labeling, regs

Basis of federal, state, local food policy

Used at the international level Used by consumers and students Availability –

www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata

Expansion of Food Composition DatabasesFood and Nutrient Data for Dietary Systems(FNDDS)

7000 “Recipe” Foods reported by Participants

~65 Components

Yield & Nutrient Retention Factors

All Cells Filled

NutrientDatabase for

StandardReference

>7600Foods

Special InterestDatabasesLiteratureAnalytical Reports

Food Industry

“Short” Lists of Foods

& Values

FFQ

3000Foods

Sources of Data

Food IndustryScientific Literature

Other Government AgenciesStandard Recipes and Algorithms

National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP)

The National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFPAP)

NFNAP AIMSExamples of Foods

Analyzed in 2010-2011

Identify Key Foods and critical nutrients

Evaluate existing data quality

Devise and implement a nationally-based sampling plan

Analyze sampled foods/ valid methods

Compile and disseminate representative estimates

Beef frankfurters Fast food cheese,

pepperoni, and sausage pizzas

White and wheat breads Macaroni and cheese, dry

packages Fast food tacos and

quesadillas American processed

cheese food and product

USDA Estimates Nutrient Levels for a Food

Data points for a single brand are averaged to obtain the mean value for a single brand.

Brand name and store brand analytical values are then weighted by their respective market share data and averaged to obtain the mean nutrient value for a generic profile.

Variability estimates are computed The values for several nutrients are released in

the SR with the standard description of the product.

Why Are Food Labels Important?

To assist consumers in building a healthy diet

To assist consumers in comparing foods

To assist consumers in making wise/informed food choices

To serve as the basis for nutrient content and health claims

Nutrition Facts Panel Development

Nutrient Data/RACC

Determine % DV for Each Number if Applicable

Determine Numbers on Label per CFR Regulations

Compliance Information

Sample for Compliance: FDA

Same container size from 1 day’s production Sample is a composite of 12

subsamples, representative of a lot

Nutrient Content Claim Example

Health Claim Example

Cholesterol free, fat free

Nutrient Facts Supports Label Claims

Soluble fiber from oats as part of a diet low in fat and saturated fat, may reduce your risk of heart disease

Diet Counseling and Education

Remember numbers on the label are based on serving size. If a slice of pizza contains 690 mg of sodium, and there are 5 servings in a package, then the whole pizza contains 3450 mg

Use the Nutrition Facts Panel to help your clients determine if a food is high (> 20%) or low in a nutrient (< 5%). Use it to check the amount of a nutrient if a claim is made, e.g., no cholesterol. Daily values on the labels are relative to a 2000 calorie reference diet

Use the USDA SR Website to check for the nutrient values of foods

Summary The food supply is dynamic; nutrient values for foods change

over time Original analytical data for Key foods are essential to USDA’s

food databases Nationwide sampling is critical to estimate representative

values for nutrients in foods The database must keep current with changes in the nutrient

content of foods due to reformulation, new analytical methods, new Public Health priorities

The numbers on the Nutrition Facts Panel are based on laboratory analyses or databases

The numbers on the Nutrition Facts Panel are subject to regulations that mandate rounding of absolute numbers and percent Daily Values; therefore, may not be exact. They are representative of the variability of the nutrient content of the food supply

For Additional Information

USDA http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata

FSIS http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/

index.asp

FDA http://www.fda.gov/ http://www.fda.gov/Food/

GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/default.htm

Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/

cfrsearch.cfm