Researchers collected the nutritional content of plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy products from Australian supermarkets and compared them to foods in the Australian Food Composition Database (AFCD).
They found that the nutritional content of supermarket products varied widely and called on authorities to maintain an up-to-date database reflecting the food supply.
The results showed that 67% of dairy substitutes and 33% of meat substitutes were not found within the AFCD. Additionally, only 13% of dairy alternatives were within the sugar threshold. In other words, the sugar content of most dairy alternatives deviated significantly by more than 10% from recommended or expected levels.
AFCD provides nutrient reference data for selected foods and beverages. It is widely used by health professionals for research purposes by nutritionists and nutritionists, as well as in practice and policy, as well as for nutritional analysis and food labeling. More regular updates will allow for closer monitoring of the food supply for the health benefit of consumers.
salty revelation
“We found that some products were so high in salt and saturated fat that it was difficult to call them ‘healthy.'” Deakin University PhD student Laura Marchese and senior research fellow Dr Catherine Livingstone said:
Sodium content varied from 1 milligram per 100 grams in products such as tofu to 2,000 mg per 100 grams in products such as vegetable mince. This means that just one bowl of plant-based mince can provide you with your entire daily recommended sodium intake.
For plant-based cheeses, the sodium content varies from 390mg to 1,400mg per 100g.
The researchers also observed a consistent trend toward increased salt content in plant-based meats. An audit of 66 plant-based meat products in Australian supermarkets in 2014 found sodium ranged from 316mg per 100g in legume-based products to 640mg in tofu products. In an audit of 137 products in 2019, the range was up to 1,200mg per 100g.
Dairy alternatives did not score very well in this audit either.
Not the best (dairy) alternative
Only a third of plant-based yoghurts were labeled with calcium, and only 20% of supermarket products met the recommended 100mg of calcium per 100g.
For plant-based cheeses, 92% were not fortified with calcium and saturated fat ranged from 0g to 28g per 100g.
The saturated fat content of plant milks was also evaluated.
Coconut-based milks had on average up to six times higher saturated fat content than almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk. A previous audit also found that coconut-based milks were significantly higher in saturated fat than all other categories of milk.
However, researchers found that the proportion of plant-based milk fortified with calcium was improved.
“Of the fortified milks subject to our audit, nearly three-quarters (73%) contained the recommended amount of calcium (at least 100 mg per 100 mL). 2019-2020 This is good news, as an audit of 115 plant-based milks in Melbourne and Sydney found that only 43% of plant-based milks were fortified with calcium.researchers said. conversation.
So what is the cause of the apparent lack of compliance with AFCD?
the study
Due to the increase in plant-based alternative products available in Australia’s food supply, the 2022 AFCD release includes new food categories dedicated to dairy and meat substitutes. This new category includes 29 food and beverage items.
“While this is an increase compared to past iterations of the database, the Food Ingredients Database can only include a selected number of foods for feasibility reasons, and is designed to keep up with new products available in the food supply. It requires regular updates to stay on top, and as a result, it can become outdated quickly after release, especially in rapidly growing categories.The researchers write: Food component analysis journal.
Researchers found that few studies have investigated whether the meat and dairy alternatives available in the food supply reflect the nutritional content of available products and as listed in national food composition databases. I realized that. Therefore, they conducted this study to highlight the importance of reliable and up-to-date food composition databases.
From June to October 2022, we used FoodTrack methodology to collect product information from four major supermarkets across Melbourne: Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, and Independent Grocers of Australia. A total of eight supermarkets, two of each of the four chains, were targeted.
FoodTrack was developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and the Australian National Heart Foundation to create a database of food and drink products sold in Australia’s major supermarkets.
These products (a total of 704 items, including 249 dairy alternatives and 455 meat alternatives) were then matched to their corresponding AFCD food item codes and, if the code was missing, to the closest match. .
All Essential Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) variables were assessed: energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, and sodium. Additional non-essential NIP categories, calcium and dietary fiber, which are important in the context of meat and dairy alternatives, were also included. The proportion of supermarket products whose nutrient profile differed significantly from his AFCD products was also evaluated.
A “substantial” difference was defined as 10% above or below the nutritional content of the corresponding AFCD item. The percentage of supermarket products exceeding this 10% threshold was calculated for each category.
“Adopting a best-fit approach, a high proportion of products available in-store differed in nutritional composition by more than 10% from comparable products in the Australian Food Composition Database. In particular, canned beans/legumes, The types of cheese substitutes and flavored milk substitutes are not well reflected in the AFCD.”said the researchers.
Dealing with discrepancies
Two-thirds of dairy substitutes and one-third of meat substitutes were not reflected in the AFCD. This is due to the increased choice of products within the category, such as a variety of canned beans and flavored milk alternatives available in supermarkets. The main ingredient is also used in a wide variety of ways, especially in cheese substitutes.
The findings highlight the challenges of food ingredient databases in providing up-to-date information to the rapidly growing plant-based field.
“This study highlights the importance of maintaining an up-to-date food composition database that reflects the food supply. This will help monitor population nutrient intake, inform policy initiatives and product innovation. have implications for tracking changes in food supply composition as a result ofsaid the researchers.
“Discrepancies between in-store product availability and food composition data can undermine industry, government, and public health efforts. Tracking progress against targets may also be hampered, for example in Australia tracking progress against reduction targets set out in the National Healthy Food Partnership Reform Program.”
sauce: Food component analysis journal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2024.106017
“Comparison of nutritional content of supermarket plant-based meat and dairy alternatives with the Australian Food Composition Database”
Author: Laura E. Marchese, Jilly A. Hendry other.
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