Calculated versus Analytical Nutrient Values |
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| | Updated 2020-09-29 |
| How accurate are the calculated values compared to analytical values? |
In food composition tables and databases many values are calculated.
This holds for nutrient values calculated
from other nutrients, as well as for the nutrient values for whole foods
calculated from other foods or ingredients. For example, the nutrient
protein is commonly calculated from so-called Kjeldal nitrogen, an
analytical method to determine the total content of nitrogen in a
(food) sample. The protein content is the calculated from the total
nitrogen by multiplying the nitrogen content with a factor. In many
(/most) cases this will lead to an overestimation of the protein
content, either due to a considerable amount of non-protein nitrogen in
the food or simply because the used nitrogen-to-protein factor is too
high.
Similarly, in recipe calculations the nutrient value of whole
foods is calculated from the foods ingredient(s) undertaking
precautions of adjusting moisture and fat content (yield) as well as
destruction of nutrients (nutrient retention) under the conditions
of the preparation of the food. For example, simple physical
disintegration of a food like cutting cabbage or salad will lead to
destruction (oxidation) of some of the vitamin C content, storage of
fruit will similarly lead to a reduction of vitamin C. Some
nutrients are heat sensitive and will destruct during heat
treatment. This means that any treatment the foods or its
ingredients undergo during preparation will definitely change the
nutrient values of the final food.
Therefore, recipe calculations are not only simple mass balances,
but actually sometimes rather sophisticated calculations taking into account the
yield after preparation as well as correcting for the supposed loss
(or uptake) of vitamins and minerals during preparation. However, it
should be catirized as "the
best guess available".
The alternative to recipe calculations is analysing all the
needed foods for the nutrients needed - a very expensive and time
consuming affair - and it is utopia to think that it is feasible.
Recipe calculation is a strongly needed too in food composition
and food consumption work. It is therefore necessary to know how
good estimates the recipe calculations deliver. It is evident that
the calculations cannot be better that the analytical values. It is
also evident that it is necessary for the data for ingredients
involved to be reliable (good quality) and match the ingredients
originally used for the food. Similarly, the nutrient retention
factors used must reflect the food and the conditions the food is
prepared under.
So, how good are the recipe calculations to mirror the real foods
nutritional properties? - the scientific literature is not
overwhelming with studies of comparisons of analytical versus
calculated nutrient values, but there a few interesting studies -
and the results are diverse and ambiguous:
- Biltoft-Jensen A., Knuthsen P., Saxholt E., Christensen T.:
Comparison between analyzed and calculated nutrient content of
fast foods using two consecutive versions of the Danish food
composition databank: FOODCOMP and FRIDA.
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (2017), DOI:
10.1016/j.jfca.2017.04.010
- Bransby E.R., Daubney C.G., King J.:
Comparison of nutrient values of individual diets found by
calculation from food tables and by chemical analysis.
British Journal of Nutrition, vol. 2, issue 3, September 1948 ,
pp. 232-236.
- Brennan R.E., Kohrs M.B., Nordstrom J.W., Sauvage
J.P., Shank R.E. :
Composition of diets of low-income pregnant women: comparison of
analyzed with calculated values.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, vol. 83, no. 5,
1983.
- Boulous C., Kanellou A., Trichopoulou, A. (foods and
nutrients Working Group):
Computed and chemically determined nutrient content of foods in
Greece.
International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, vol. 47,
pp. 507-511, 1996.
- Chen A., Gilbert P., Khokhar S.:
Estimating the nutrient composition of South Asian foods using a
recipe calculation method.
Food Chemistry 113 (2009) 825–831.
- Dickinson, B.F.:
Designing an Experimental Diet (Low Fat, Low Linoleate):
Comparison of Calculated and Analyzed Values for Total Lipid and
Total Linoleate.
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations &
Projects. 795, 1982.
- Djukić N., Šobajić S., Ðorðević B., Miletić I., Gajić I.:
Dietary fiber intake of adolescents living in a boarding school
in north-eastern part of Serbia: comparison of analyzed and
calculated values.
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 60:sup6,
14-22, 2009.
DOI:
10.1080/09637480802241634
- Greger J.L., Marhefka S., Huffman J., Baligar, P.:
Comparison of analyzed and calculated nitrogen, zinc, magnesium,
phosphorus and iron content of diets.
Nutr. Rept. Intern. 18:345, 1978.
- Hakala P., Marniemi J., Knuts L.-R., Kumpulainen J.,
Tahvonen R., Plaami S.:
Calculated vs analysed nutrient composition of weight reduction
diets.
Food Chemistry, vol. 57, issue 1, September 1996, Pages 71-75.
DOI:
10.1016/0308-8146(96)00077-5
- Heinonen M., Valsta L., Anttolainen H., Ovaskainen M.-L.,
Hyvönen L., Mutanen M.:
Comparisons between Analyzed and Calculated Food Composition
Data: Carotenoids, Retinoids, Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, Fat,
Fatty Acids, and Sterols.
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 10, 3–13 (1997)
- Helms, P., Wonsild, K., Mejlvang, A., Zedeler, K.:
Fødevaretabellers pålidelighed. En sammenligning af analyserede
og beregnede energifordeling i en række tilberedte retter og
bagværk, udført i perioden 1.3. - 2.5. 1977.
Husholdningsrådets Tekniske Meddelelser, pp. 14 ff., nr. 8,
1978.
- Hummel F.C., Shepherd M.L., Galbraith H., Williams H.H.,
Macy I.G.:
Chemical Composition of Twenty-Two Common Foods and Comparison
of Analytical with Calculated Values of Diets.
The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 24, Issue 1, July 1942, Pages
41–56.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/24.1.41
- Kim K.H., Lim H.S.:
Dietary intakes of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, Mo, and Cr of Korean
adult women - Comparison between the data from analyzed and
calculated.
Korean Journal of Human Ecology, vol. 9 Issue 3, pp. 69-79,
2006.
- Mannolo R., Jones, R.E.:
The Content of Constant Diets: A Comparison Between Analyzed and
Calculated Values.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 18, Issue 5,
May 1966, Pages 339–342.
DOI:
10.1093/ajcn/18.5.339
- Marshall M.W., Iacono J.M., Young Jr C.W., Washington V.A.,
Slover H.T., Leapley P.M.:
Composition of diets containing 25 and 35 per cent calories from
fat. Analyzed vs. calculated values.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, May 1975,
66(5):470-81.
- Marshall M.W., Judd J.T.:
Calculated vs. analyzed composition of four modified fat diets.
Formulated to study effects in human subjects of kind and amount
of dietary fat.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 01 Jun 1982,
80(6):537-549.
- Matthews R.H.:
Recipe calculations vs analytical values.
Proceedings of the thirteenth National Nutrient Databank
Conference, Framingham, MA, 1988.
- NORFOODS 2000:
Intagsberäkningar av kostdata i Norden. En jämförelse av näringsdata, beräkningsfaktorer och beräkningsmetoder.
[Intake calculations of food consumption data in the Nordic countries. A comparison of food composition data, calculation
factors and calculation methods] - in Swedish, summary in English.
TemaNord 2002:522, Nordisk Ministerråd. København 2002.
ISBN 92-893-0770-6 ISSN 0908-6692
- Rodrı́guez-Palmero M., Castellote-Bargalló A.I.,
López-Sabater C., de la Torre-Boronat C., Rivero-Urgell M.:
Assessment of dietary nutrient intakes: analysed vs calculated
values.
Food Chemistry, vol. 61, issues 1–2, January 1998, Pages
215-221.
DOI:
10.1016/S0308-8146(97)00106-4
- Roine P., Koivula L., Pekkarinen M.:
Analyzed vs. calculated intake of vitamin C among the Finnish
rural population.
International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research,
Vol.42, No.1, pp.63-71, 1972.
- Valsta L., Heinonen M., Anttolainen M., Mutanen, M.:
Comparison of calculated and analyzed values: antioxidant and
fatty acid composition.
Food Chemistry, vol. 57, issue 1, September 1996.
- Vasilopoulou E., Georga K., Grilli E., Linardou A.,
Vithoulka M., Trichopoulou A.:
Compatibility of computed and chemically determined
macronutrients and energy content of traditional Greek recipes.
JJournal of Food Composition and Analysis, Volume 16, December
2003, Pages 707-719.
DOI: 110.1016/S0889-1575(03)00099-1
For an updated list of papers on calculated versus analyzed
nutrient values, try this Google Scholar search or this
Google Scholar Search.
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