The update of the Italian Food Composition Database

In 1998, as the result of a collaborative project, the European Institute of Oncology (Milan) published the Italian Food Composition Database, that has been widely used to analyse dietary intake information collected within Italian and European epidemiological studies. An update is ongoing to revise the published values, and to include additional food items and components, relevant for studies on nutrition and chronic diseases. Compilation methods have been described in detail, and some aspects of the methodology have been improved. Data are maintained in a Microsoft Access database that allows expansion of the list of foods and components. Approximately 70% of food items have been revised and updated. Major changes were applied to: Miscellaneous food, Meat and Meat products, and Fish and Fish products. The final version will include around 1000 food items. An up-to-date food composition database is a key-point in the interpretation of nutritional epidemiological studies, since food composition changes over time and interest of researchers often focuses on new components. Although limited in size, the new database will contain information on relevant food components of the main food items consumed in Italy and it will be a well-documented tool, easily accessible to the public.