FoodEx2 Harmonization of the Food Consumption Database from the Italian IV SCAI Children’s Survey

Abstract

Estimating the habitual food and nutrient intakes of a population is based on dietary assessment methods that collect detailed information on food consumption. Establishing the list of foods to be used for collecting data in dietary surveys is central to standardizing data collection. Comparing foods across different data sources is always challenging. Nomenclatures, detail, and classification into broad food groups and sub-groups can vary considerably. The use of a common system for classifying and describing foods is an important prerequisite for analyzing data from different sources. At the European level, EFSA has addressed this need through the development and maintenance of the FoodEx2 classification system. The aim of this work is to present the FoodEx2 harmonization of foods, beverages, and food supplements consumed in the IV SCAI children’s survey carried out in Italy. Classifying foods into representative food categories predefined at European level for intake and exposure assessment may lead to a loss of information. On the other hand, a major advantage is the comparability of data from different national databases. The FoodEx2 classification of the national food consumption database represented a step forward in the standardization of the data collection and registration. The large use of FoodEx2 categories at a high level of detail (core and extended terms) combined with the use of descriptors (facets) has minimized information loss and made the reference food categories at country level comparable with different food databases at national and international level.