Data Repository services

Preparation and dissemination of food composition data

The EuroFIR Data Repository activity will prepare and disseminate food composition data extracted from journal articles, analytical reports and other types of document.  Each data packet will contain data processed from reported results for a set of foods and components, often presented in the source document as a table.

Data packets will be free to members.  All the source documents will be included in the EuroFIR Document Repository.

The main objective of the Data Repository is to elimiinate the duplication of work by data compilers, who currently process each report of data separately.  The data preparation procedures to be covered are summarised below.  These procedures are being developed and implemented in stages, with prototype spreadsheet data files in a standard layout ready for testing.  The initial launch of the Data Repository is planned for Autumn 2010.

Spreadsheet data files

The Data Repository spreadsheet files will have a standard format, so that their import to food composition database management systems will be straightforward.  Components will be represented by their EuroFIR component identifiers and the information on food items will include LanguaL indexing.

XML data files

The information in the spreadsheet files will also be made available in XML format, using the specifications of the EuroFIR Food Data Transport Package.

Documented data

The compilation of food composition data requires not only the reported compositional values themselves, but also information on how they were obtained.  The data may be clearly presented in tables, but information on aspects such as analytical method and sampling may be contained in textual descriptions that must be interpreted and extracted using a standard approach.  The EuroFIR thesauri provide standard descriptors for various aspects of the data and these, together with other descriptive information, are assigned to produce data that are documented in a standard way suitable for use in food composition data management systems.

Quality evaluated data

The final step in deciding if reported data are suitable for use in compiled food composition data is an evaluation of the quality of data as assessed from the original document and the documented data.  The foods (including the sampling) and components must be well-described, as well as the units of the values.  The analytical or calculation methods used must be clearly stated and appropriate to the components and food matrices involved.  Deployment of quality evaluated data will avoid the duplication of highly time-consuming and specialist work.