Brazilian Food Composition Database: Internet Dissemination and Other Recent DevelopmentsSTUDY REVIEW

A database of food composition was created by BRASILFOODS/USP to centralize the information obtained in the country and is available on the Internet (http://www.fcf.usp.br/tabela). This is the best device to launch this information, as it enables a dynamic data update and also provides an easier approach at reduced cost. The first version of the Web site was created in 1998 and has been changed according to the availability of new data and to the usersʹ needs. The database was elaborated considering the aims and criteria conceived by INFOODS/LATINFOODS/SAMFOODS, targeting data validation and interchange. The main intent of the paper is to illustrate aspects related to the database evolution (content, data quality evaluation, structure and difficulties) and its dissemination on the Internet. The awareness of positive and negative aspects of the database and also the identification of the reasons which determined them, can contribute to improve the database as a whole. Based on these observations, a great number of activities is already being carried out as follows: the optimization of the search by foods, the procedure of data compilation and analyses of new foods and nutrients, and also the search for new partnerships and government financial support.