Development of the Hellenic Food Thesaurus (HelTH), a branded food composition database: Aims, design and preliminary findings. (15th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Katidi, Alexandra; Vlassopoulos, Antonis; Kapsokefalou, Maria
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 347(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06-15
• Subjects: Packaged food -- Food supply -- Food data -- Food labelling -- On-pack communication -- Health and nutrition claims; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: HelTH is the 1st Greek BFCD with >4000 products crowdsourced via retailers' websites. HelTH includes nutritional composition, on-pack claims, quality indicators and price. HelTH follows EuroFIR guidelines and is compatible with existing international FCDs. HelTH is a key infrastructure for food policy and nutrition research. Abstract: The Hellenic Food Thesaurus (HelTH) is the first systematic attempt to create a Greek Branded Food Composition Database. Data on the nutritional composition of foods for up to 45 nutrients, on-pack claims (health, nutrition, social, environmental), quality indicators, and prices were recorded for more than 4, 000 foods as they appear on the photographs of their packages available on retailers' websites. A group of trained researchers carried out data collection and classification using LanguaL. HelTH highlights the variability in nutritional compositions of packaged foods in Greece and the need for better labelling of key nutrients such as trans fatty acids. According to a preliminary analysis of on-pack communications ( n = 2008 products), health claims are used rarely (4.1% of products analyzed) with greater prevalence of nutrition (~32%) and natural claims (~24%). HelTH is a key infrastructure for the implementation of food and nutrition policies, new product development, and nutrition and consumer research.