D.3.1.15 Report on EuroFIR Food Comp Course 2008
Creators: name: Wageningen University
name: Food Research Institute
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2005
Subjects: NoE and NEXUS Projects
The EuroFIR Food Platform
EuroFIR

description: A. Aim

The aim of this course was to demonstrate how to produce, manage and use good quality food composition data in a standardised way, using harmonised procedures developed in the EuroFIR network of excellence. The course was based on the philosophy that the preparation of food composition databases requires a close understanding of the needs of the users by both compilers and producers of analytical data within the EuroFIR consortium. The course aimed to show how this understanding can be achieved and demonstrate the benefits of collaboration between users, analysts and compilers.

B. Programme

A detailed programme of the second EuroFIR course on the production and use of food composition data in nutrition (Food Comp 2008) can be found in Annex 1. The course venue was Hotel Baronka, Bratislava in the Slovak Republic. The course covered all stages of the food composition production chain. Topics addressed were: Introduction to food composition data & databases; Application of Food Composition Data Bases (FCDB) in nutritional research; Sampling, protocols and statistical principles; E-learning module on fat & fatty acids; Methods of analysis; Identification of food constituents/ standards development for FCDB; Laboratory quality, quality compilation, quality management, data quality evaluation; Expert systems; FCDB compilation; Food description; Database management systems, documentation and interchange; Recipe calculation, Bio-& dietary diversity and FCDB; Role of Infoods. Active participation during the course was assured by presentations of the participants about country specific food composition activities and by being engaged in group work. The group work (in each group 5 participants from different countries were enrolled) was dedicated to comparison of food composition databases at the level food and food group and at the level of nutrients (definition of nutrient, value level, modes of expression, conversion factors, documentation, etc). Lectures were alternated with assignments, small group discussions, excursions, and project work. Excursions were organised to FRI Biocentre, FRI laboratories and Slovak Food Composition Data Bank. The course was organised by Paul Hulshof (Wageningen University, Division of Human Nutrition) and Janka Porubska (VUP Food Research Institute, Bratislava). Throughout the course the presentations of lecturers and students, handouts and an extensive literature overview were placed on the course-website, developed and maintained by Anders Møller (DFI).

A novelty in this years programme was the introduction of E-learning. E-learning is an important tool in interactive personalised learning and a welcome alternation in the work forms offered during the course. A module on fat and fatty acid analysis, developed by the Division of Human Nutrition in Wageningen was tested and evaluated by the course participants.

The course was closed with the awarding of certificates to the participants.