The National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), through its Department of Food and Nutrition, published a new version of the Portuguese Food Composition Table (TCA). This edition includes data on 1330 foods and 44 components/nutrients (Energy, Macroconstituents, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Vitamins, and Minerals); two of them, iodine and selenium, are published for the first time.

The new version V 6.0–2023 is available on the PortFIR website at (https://portfir-insa.min-saude.pt), where it is possible to download it in Microsoft Excel® as well as make online searches, for example, by keyword, food group, component, alphabetic list, and compare foods.

The introduction of new foods was mainly based on the results of The National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (2015-2016), principally dairy products (cheeses) and legumes. The analytical determinations of the components were done in INSA laboratories based on a sampling representing the consumption of the Portuguese population. Several revisions were done (contents of some components, food description, exclusion of foods not commercialized nowadays), and edible parts were added to more foods.

Updating the TCA is a permanent task carried out in line with the food consumed by the Portuguese population, with the evolution of analytical methods, and in accordance with internationally established quality criteria. Since 2017, INSA has been publishing annual TCA updates, which are free to access.

Portuguese Food Composition Table (TCA)