FoodEXplorer
About
This innovative interface for food composition data is the core of our membership benefits and allows members to search information from most European Union (EU) Member States (MS) and an increasing number of countries outside Europe, simultaneously. FoodEXplorer includes options to search for foods by name, food groups, and the most common LanguaL[1] food descriptors. FoodEXplorer has the unique ability to compare component values amongst foods from different countries’ datasets. Results can be downloaded as a food data transport package (FDTP) or in Excel. In 2019, FoodEXplorer will be made available free of charge to individuals and students from ODA Recipients (see Terms & Conditions for Free Access to FoodEXplorer, OECD DAC List of ODA Recipients - http://bit.ly/2O5hFos).
Members have access to a wide range of data, linking foods and nutrients through harmonised data description (LanguaL), standardised components, and value description with the use of The EuroFIR Thesauri (standard vocabularies) and associated nutrient value information. Members have the right to:
- Use FoodEXplorer services by means of a web browser for their research (e.g. calculation of nutrient values, data evaluation – unlimited foods per year)
- Download food composition data using FoodEXplorer service (within reasonable use)
Members may also publish[1] (scientific communications in journals and other publications, online databases, food product labels, PowerPoint presentations) with written approval (email) from EuroFIR; intent to publish must be declared 28 days in advance.
[1] Subject to specific national license agreement
In 2019, in collaboration with Full Members (QIB – UK and Capnutra-IMR - RS), EuroFIR has provided, for the first time, Open Access (Members and non-Members) datasets for several ODA Recipient Countries. These datasets have been compiled and documented with additional support following UK-funded workshops, led by QIB, with support from WHO. The workshops involved food composition data compilers from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Pakistan, Morocco and Tunisia (MC_PC_MR/R019576/1, supported by UK Medical Research Council Global Challenges Fund and WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region) and South Africa [BB/GCRF-IAA/17/24, supported by the BBSRC Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Impact Acceleration, Prof. Hettie Schonfeldt (University of Pretoria) and the FAO INFOODS AFROFOODS network].
The provision of high-quality data, via food composition databases (FCDBs) linked with EuroFIR, is one of the most important goals of the Association. Thus, technically skilled and highly experienced specialists are working continuously towards improving the content and data quality in national FCDBs. The data are documented for best possible transparency, aggregated, validated, and compiled following standardised quality evaluation procedures before the datasets can be published and made available for all users.