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User Guide

• This database system provides nutrient information on eight parameters namely energy, protein, carbohydrate, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and dietary fibre of about 1,100 food items including indigenous food items such as local breakfast food items.

• The nutrient content of the same food may vary and is dependent on many factors such as the food processing methods, sources of the food supply etc.

• The sources of data include:

  1. The Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention;

  2. The Nutrient Data Laboratory United States Department of Agriculture; and

  3. The Food Research Laboratory of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).

• Food items are categorized into 25  food groups in this database system. Each food group is divided into a number of food subgroups. Similar food items are grouped into the same food subgroup. For example, chicken wing (food item) is classified as “poultry” and “chicken” under the food group and food subgroup respectively.

• The content of a particular nutrient in a food item is expressed as the amount of the nutrient per 100 g or 100 ml of the food concerned, unless otherwise stated.

• The value of dietary fibre represents the total dietary fibre content of food obtained from the data sources from the Department of Agriculture and form results of analysis done by the Food Research Laboratory of FEHD. For the data source from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the value of dietary fibre represents the insoluble fibre content of food.

• The value of carbohydrate obtained from the data source from the US Department of Agriculture represents the total carbohydrate content of food. For the data source from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food Research Laboratory of FEHD, the value of carbohydrate represents the available carbohydrate of food.

•  “NA” stands for relevant nutrient data for that particular food item is not available.

• Nutrient search can either be made by clicking the food group or food subgroup, or by entering a keyword that best describes the food item.