Food composition experts have been discussing how to improve the quality, availability, reliability and use of food composition data.
This was during the 11th OCEANIAFOODS biannual conference at the University of the South Pacific that ended on Saturday.
The conference held public speaking sessions by food composition experts as well as students not only from across the South Pacific but also from around the world.
The delegates from diverse backgrounds provided vital research on public health, food technology and information technology.
Food composition data is necessary to provide vital information concerning the nutritional content of different foods.
Doctors and professors in plant and food research stressed that food composition data is needed to properly underpin not just public health and individual health care, but many areas of public policy, including the environment, sustainability, food security and agriculture.
Countries included in this forum were Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Communities (or SPC)
OCEANIAFOODS is the Pacific regional operation of the International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS), which was established under the guidance of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
A South Pacific Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) was also launched during the conference.
