Reusability of Germany´s total diet study food list upon availability of new food consumption data-comparison of three update strategies.

BACKGROUND: The German total diet study (TDS)-BfR MEAL Study-established its food list in 2016 based on food consumption data of children (0.5-<5 years) and adults (14-80 years). The list consists of 356 foods selected for analysis in order to ensure ≥90% coverage of the diet. Recently, new food consumption data for children (0.5-<6 and 6-<12 years) in Germany became available, which raised the opportunity to evaluate the applicability of the MEAL food list 2016 on new data. OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypotheses that the MEAL food list 2016 also covers ≥90% of the diet of the new collected food consumption data, and that the selection of foods from younger children and adults was sufficient to also cover the middle age group (6-<12 years). Strategies for updating the existing food list were assessed. METHODS: Three approaches evaluated the reusability and potential adjustment strategies of the existing food list. Approach 1 applied the existing food list to new food consumption data. Approach 2 allowed the extension of the existing food list to improve coverage of food consumption. Approach 3 set up a new food list based on the new data. RESULTS: The MEAL food list 2016 covered 94% of the overall diet of the new collected food consumption data. The diet of the middle age group was sufficiently covered with 91%. However, coverage on main food group or population subgroup level was <90% in some cases. Approach 3 most accurately identified relevant modifications to the existing food list. 94% of the MEAL food list 2016 could be re-used and 51 new foods were identified as potentially relevant. SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest that a high investment in the coverage of a TDS food list will lower the effort and the resources to keep data updated in the long-term. IMPACT: There is no established approach to update a TDS food list. This study provides comparative approaches to handle newly collected food consumption data for follow-on TDS activities. The results provide useful information for institutions planning or updating a TDS. Furthermore, new food consumption data for children in Germany recently became available and are here presented for the first time.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: Highest levels of retinol found in animal livers and of ß-carotene in yellow-orange and green leafy vegetables.

This Total Diet Study (TDS) provides representative data on substance levels in foods, prepared as typically consumed by the population in Germany for future dietary exposure assessment. Vitamin A is essential and must be obtained from the diet, either as preformed vitamin A or as provitamin A carotenoids. Levels of retinol and ß-carotene were analysed in 333 and 271 foods, respectively. Highest mean retinol levels were found in cod liver (25,000 µg∙100 g-1), followed by other animal livers, liver-based products, butter, eel and fortified margarine. In contrast, highest mean ß-carotene levels were found in carrots (4,650 µg∙100 g-1), followed by other yellow-orange fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables and fortified fruit nectars. Sampling by production type and seasonality revealed differences in retinol and ß-carotene levels in individual foods. This TDS expands the existing data for ß-carotene and vitamin A extensively by providing representative data on most consumed foods.

Collection of occurrence data in foods - The value of the BfR MEAL study in addition to the national monitoring for dietary exposure assessment.

Two different data sets of occurrence data are available in Germany at present: the German National Food Monitoring and the BfR MEAL Study. To determine the suitability of each data set for exposure assessment and to develop concepts for a target-oriented selection and application of data, possibilities, limitations and scope of substance as well as food selection is quantitatively compared. The National Monitoring data provides comprehensive information on the variability of substance levels. This enables short- and long-term exposure assessment and consumer-loyal scenarios. The BfR MEAL Study supplements the monitoring data set with > 100 substances or by complementing the food spectrum for substances already included in the National Monitoring. The study design benefits especially the long-term dietary exposure assessment for the German population including the total diet. Using both programmes enables case-dependent selection of the appropriate dataset and in combination both sets can contribute to enhanced consumer safety.

German database on the occurrence of food additives: application for intake estimation of five food colours for toddlers and children.

To get a more realistic estimation of food additive intake for toddlers and children, a German database on the occurrence of food additives was created. It uses consumption data of two recent national nutrition surveys for toddlers and children in combination with qualitative information of food additive occurrence in the consumed food. The information on food additive occurrence is based on food labelling. A categorisation system was developed according to regulations to classify the foods consumed and to identify possible food additive use in the food groups. Two natural (E120, E160b) and three artificial food colours (E110, E124, E129) were chosen for an assessment of food additive intake. The percentage of food items containing one of the chosen food colours was calculated for every food group and the food groups with most items containing the additive were identified. Intake estimations were performed based on maximum permitted-use levels (MPLs). Firstly, additive use was assumed in all foods consumed (tier 2); and secondly, food additive use was assumed only for those items where labelling confirmed the use and for all foods with no labelling available (tier 2b). Intake estimations were then compared with the ADI. Most food items with at least one of the food colours were found in the food groups confectionary, desserts, fermented milk products, flavoured drinks and breakfast cereals. The tier 2b approach provided more realistic estimations, which were always below those of the tier 2 approach and below the ADI for mean exposure. Exposure for high-level consumers exceeded the ADI for two of the food additives in tier 2b. Keeping in mind that the database is only mirroring the current situation, it provides a good possibility to refine the estimation of food additive intake for toddlers and children in Germany.

Effects of polydextrose supplementation on different faecal parameters in healthy volunteers.

The beneficial effects of prebiotics on bowel health were thoroughly investigated. The aim of the study was to show prebiotic effects of polydextrose (PDX). A placebo-controlled, randomized intervention study with PDX supplementation (8 g/day) was conducted in 45 healthy subjects. The effects of PDX on stool weight, orofaecal transit time, consistency of stool (Bristol stool form scale), short-chain fatty acid production, pH value, neutral sterol and bile acid excretion and faecal microbiota were evaluated. It was found that supplementation of PDX shortened the orofaecal transit time significantly. Furthermore, ingestion of PDX resulted in a decreased pH value and in significant changes in bile acid and neutral sterol excretion. PDX had no effects on stool weight, concentrations of the main short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate) and faecal contents of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria. In conclusion, PDX is able to shorten the orofaecal transit time and to improve stool consistency in subjects suffering from constipation. [corrected]