Number 70 July 1995
MAFF UK - NUTRIENT ANALYSIS OF SELECTED FOODS
Index to MAFF UK Food Surveillance Information
Sheets, 1995
See also:
147: MAFF UK - Nutrient Analysis
of Ethnic Takeaway Foods (May 1998)
195: MAFF UK - Nutrient Analysis
of Ice Creams and Desserts (January 2000)
Summary
MAFF has recently carried out a survey to determine the nutrient
composition of a range of selected foods, including beverages, fresh
pasta, gateaux and tortes, soups, savoury sauces and dips, fats,
continental breads, sweet spreads and casserole mixes.
Background
This survey was part of the Ministry's ongoing surveillance of nutrient
levels in food. It was commissioned in order to update and extend
information on the nutritional value of a range of miscellaneous foods.
The foods selected included products that had recently come onto the
market and had become popular, foods likely to be consumed by the elderly,
and some foods where there were specific gaps in information. In all
cases, it was difficult to extrapolate from available data.
The results will be used in MAFF's dietary surveys, particularly the
National Diet and Nutrition Survey of people aged 65 years or over, and
incorporated into McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods.
Survey
Between 6 and 12 specified sub-samples of each of 33 food types were
purchased from a range of retail outlets, prepared and cooked (where
necessary) by the contractor, and combined to form 33 composite samples
for analysis. The foods surveyed included salad dressings, dips, sun-dried
tomatoes, instant beverages, drinking chocolate, stock cubes, spreading
and cooking fats, fresh pasta, continental breads, bagels, frozen gateaux
and tortes, mycoprotein, yoghurt, canned rice pudding, curry paste,
casserole and sauce mixes, dried soup, chocolate spread, honey, diabetic
chocolate and pot savouries.
Analyses were carried out for proximates, individual sugars, inorganics,
vitamins, fatty acids and sterols.
Contact point
The report of the survey is held in the MAFF library at Nobel House, 17
Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR (Tel: (+44) (0)20 7238 6573).Further
enquiries should be addressed to:
Mrs Susan Church
MAFF, Joint Food Safety and Standards Group
Radiological Safety and Nutrition Division
Room 427 Ergon House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7238 5764
Fax: +44 (0)20 7238 5778
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