From Elin B. Løken and Aase Borgejordet, Institute for Nutrition Research, University of Oslo
We welcome the revitalization of the Eurocode 2 as a food classification system for food consumption data relevant for European studies in nutritional epidemiology. We also support the overall objectives to identify and classify the foods that are nutritionally important in the diet of various European countries as well as in ethnic diets. However, after having made an attempt to use the modified core classification on the Norwegian diet, we think that the Eurocode 2 still need some refinement, and possibly some rethinking.
Our main concern is that the hierarchy contains too many small food groups at the sub-group level (group level 2), whereas many of the larger food groups at this level need to be subdivided at a level 3 (new?). We also think that the mixed products may be classified by the existing facet/descriptor system. In addition, we have added a few ethnic foods that are important in the general Norwegian diet or in certain geographical areas. These foods have distinct nutritional composition, but appears not to be covered by the present classification system. At the moment, we have no comments on how to classify the recipes.
Even though Norway participated in the trial years ago, we have no longer a description of the full system. Thus some of our suggestions may violate established and agreed coding rules, but as already mentioned, we hope that views from "outsiders" may throw some fresh light on the usefulness of the modified classification system.
Our suggestions for the proposed three level grouping system (plus a fourth level for the specific food items) are summarized in the tables below. We have deliberately used common names on the food groups, thinking that the scientific names may be found in the detailed coding list accompanying the Eurocode manual.
Where appropriate, we have listed storage codes from the existing system for reference, but all groups should be listed in the proposed logical order. It is important that the system is able to include new groups in the future. Thus "someone" should be responsible for allocating new storage code numbers, these may not be logical. If a coding support software is developed (preferably one that allows definition of alternative coding orders), hopefully most of the original coding numbers may be kept.
Substitute foods may be placed on level 3 in the level 2 group where it is used as a substitute. In addition, most food groups should end with an unspecified group, as survey respondents are not always able to tell what kind of meat, fish etc they have been eating. It is important to bear in mind that the main purpose of the Eurocode is to classify food consumption data, and that the obtained details depend heavily on the dietary survey method that has been used to collect this information. At level 2 the above suggestions may reduce the number of categories by about one third.
As already mentioned, since we don’t have access to the full description, we have not reviewed the appropriateness of the numerous facets descriptors. But as a general comment we would like to point out that much of the finer details concerning for example thermal and non-thermal processing will not come out of the dietary research methods commonly used in large studies. In the tables we have used the following abbreviations for the five facets.
Editorial note For documentation of the Eurocode descriptors currently defined, see The Descriptor System, version 93/1. |
A | thermal treatment |
B | non-thermal treatment |
C | preservation/packaging |
D | component added |
E | component removed |
Code | Level 2 name | Level 3 classified by | Facet: description | Comments |
1.1 | Milk, fresh (or liquid?) | Fat content + from cow, goat ... |
D: sugar, fruit, cocoa ... E: casein (whey) |
Incl. 1.3+1.5 (minor foods) |
1.4 | Yogurt and other fermented milk | Fat content | B: soured/fermented D: sugar, fruit ... |
Incl 1.6 |
1.2 1.9 |
Cream | Fat content + dairy/non-dairy |
B: soured D: sugar, eggs ... |
D = Ice cream and other milk/cream based desserts. Incl. substitutes |
1.7 1.8 |
Cheese | Type (hard, soft, fresh, whey) + fat content |
E: casein (whey cheese) | Whey cheese is a major sandwich spread in Norway |
Code | Level 2 name | Level 3 classified by | Facet: description | Comments |
2.1 | Eggs, chicken | |||
Eggs, other domestic birds | Duck, quail, turkey, goose, ostrich ... | 2.2+2.3+2.5+2.6 (minor foods) |
||
Eggs, wild birds | Seagull ... | Used in coastal areas in Norway |
Code | Level 2 name | Level 3 classified by | Facet: description | Comments |
3.1 3.2 |
Beef | Beef, veal + product type (facet C) |
C: fresh/frozen, salted, smoked ... | Veal is a minor food |
3.3 | Pork | Product type (facet C) | C: fresh/frozen, salted, smoked, dry, canned ... | Ham and bacon: combinations of facet C |
3.4 | Lamb | Mutton, lamb + product type (facet C) |
C: fresh/frozen, salted, smoked, dry ... | |
3.10 | Mammals, other | Domestic (goat ...), wild (reindeer, mouse ...) | ||
3.13 | Chicken | Chicken, hen | ||
Birds, other | Domestic (turkey, duck, goose, ostrich ...), wild | 3.9+3.14-3.16 Wild birds: sea, forest or mountain | ||
3.17 | Offal | Organ (liver, kidney ...) + beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry ... |
3.18-3.21 (minor foods) | |
3.11 | Meat products, mixed | Sausages Pate (incl liver) Burger, meatballs Substitutes (soy ...) |
C: fresh (frankfurter ...), dry (salami ...) | Meatballs, burgers are large products in Norway |
Note: Specific cuts of carcase meat, chicken breast etc should, if available, be placed on the food item level.
Offal have quite different nutritional composition from carcase meat.
Code | Level 2 name | Level 3 classified by | Facet: description | Comments |
4.4 4.5 |
White fish | Cod, flatfish, other (ocean, fresh water) | C: fresh/frozen, salted, smoked ... | White flesh, lean or low fat. |
Red fish | Salmon, trout (domestic, ocean, fresh water) | C: fresh/frozen, salted, smoked, canned ... | Red flesh, moderate fat | |
Dark fish | Herring, mackerel, other (tuna, eel ...) |
C: fresh, salted, smoked, pickled, canned ... | Dark flesh, high fat | |
Common name ?? | Shrimp, mussels ... | C: fresh, canned | 4.9+4.10 (minor products) | |
New | Fish offal | Liver, roe, tongue ... Caviar, pate ... |
Liver and tongue in coastal areas | |
4.14 | Fish products | Breaded fillets ... Fish cakes Fish substitutes (crab sticks ...) |
C: fresh, chilled, frozen, canned ... D: bread, egg, milk ... |
Excl caviar Breaded fillets, fish cakes are major Norw. products |
"Marine and other aquatic" foods | Seaweeds, insects, reptiles, frogs, snails, whale, seal ... | 4.11-4.13+4.16 (minor foods, NOT fish) |
Note: Fish should be classified in level 2 as broad categories according to fat content and color of the flesh.
Common family names should be used at level 3 with scientific names as scope notes.
Code | Level 2 name | Level 3 classified by | Facet: description | Comments |
5.1 | Butter | Butter, ghee ... | ||
5.2 | Margarine | Hard fat (% saturates + transfatty acids) | 80 % fat | |
5.7 | Fat spread, other | Fat content + major type of oil |
< 80 % fat, incl. mix with butterfat | |
5.3 | Animal fats | Lard ... | ||
5.4 | Marine oils | Cod liver oil ... | ||
5.5 | Vegetable fats/oils | |||
Compound fats/oils | Various mixes |
Code | Level 2 name | Level 3 classified by | Facet: description | Comments |
6.1 | Wheat | Flour, grain, flakes ... | B or E?: Extraction rate | Dry weight? |
6.3 | Rye | Flour, flakes ... | B or E?: Extraction rate | |
6.5 | Oat | Flour, grain, flakes ... | ||
6.6 | Corn (maize) | Flour, flakes ... | ||
6.7 | Rice | Flour, grain, puffs ... | ||
Grains, other | Barley, millet, buckwheat ... | 6.4+6.8-6.10 (minor products) | ||
6.11 6.12 |
Grains, mixed | Flour, grain, breakfast cereals ... | D: sugar, dried fruit, nuts, fat ... | Incl müsli etc |
6.14 | Pasta | |||
Bread, soft | Wheat, rye, mix + % wholemeal flour |
D: liquid, sugar ... | Made with yeast | |
Bread, crisp/dry | Type of flour + % wholemeal flour |
Incl. tortilla, other unleavened crisp breads | ||
6.16 | Grain products, savory | Savory biscuits, pizza, meat pie ... | D: meat, fish, cheese, vegetables ... | Incl. 6.15 |
6.17 | Grain products, sweet | Cookies, sweet rolls, Danish pastry, fruit cake, cream cake ... | D. sugar, fat, egg, fruit, cream ... |
Note: Flours and other dry grain products should be separated from bread because of weight differences and use. Should rice and pasta be coded as dry or cooked weight?
Code | Level 2 name | Level 3 classified by | Facet: description | Comments |
7.1 | Pulses | Peas, beans, lentils | Incl. 7.6 Dry or cooked weight? | |
7.2 | Seeds, kernals | Linseed, sunflower ... | ||
7.4 | Nuts | Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts ... | D: salt, sugar | Incl. marzipan, coconut milk, cocoa powder (?) |
Note: As already mentioned, cocoa based drinks should be placed in the fluid milk group, and the pure juices should be moved to the vegetable and fruit groups respectively.
Note: The "other products" holds very small amounts and are usually recipe ingredients, i.e not visible in dietary surveys. Note that non-dairy coffee cream is grouped as a cream substitute. Even though redcurrant jelly may be used as a sauce in some countries, it should be placed in 10.6 due to its high content of sugar. In Norway redcurrant jelly is mainly used as a sandwich, waffle or muffin spread.
Note: Common foods with less/more fat, sugar, energy than in comparable traditional foods, f.ex artificially sweetened drinks should be placed within the appropriate level 1 groups.
8. Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Code
Level 2 name
Level 3 classified by
Facet: description
Comments
Tubers
Potato, sweet potato ...
C or D: Pommes frites, inst. mashed potatoes?
8.2
Cabbage
White, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, other
C: pickled (sauerkraut)
8.11
Roots
Carrot, turnip ...
8.1
Leaves
Lettuce, chinese cabbage, spinach ...
8.9
Stalks
Celery, rhubarb ...
8.3
Bulbs
Onions, leek ...
8.5
Fruit vegetables
Tomato, cucumber, paprika, squash ...
D: ketchup, chutney ...?
Vegetables, other
Asparagus ...
Incl 8.10
8.8
Vegetable mixtures
Type of product
C: mixed salad, frozen, canned ...
11.16
11.18Juice, vegetable
Tomato, carrot ...
Minor products
8.6
Fungi, edible
Mushroom
Code
Level 2 name
Level 3 classified by
Facet: description
Comments
9.2
Apples, pears
C: fresh, canned ...
D. sugar ...Incl. applesauce?
9.5
Citrus
Orange, lemon ...
9.3
Stone fruits
Plum, cherry, apricot ...
C: fresh, canned ...
9.1
Fruits, other
Banana, kiwi, melon ...
9.4
Berries
Grapes, currants, straw-rasp-, blueberries ...
C: fresh, frozen, canned, dried (raisins ...)
11.17
Juice, fruit
Orange, other citrus, apple, mixtures ...
9.7
Fruit mixtures
Salad, jam, compote ...
D: sugar
Jam with < 50% sugar is a major Norwegian spread
10. Sugar, Chocolate and Related Products
Code
Level 2 name
Level 3 classified by
Facet: description
Comments
10.1
Sugar
White, brown ?
10.2
Sugar substitutes
Nutritive (sorbitol ...)
Non-nutr. (cyklamat ...)
Honey, syrups
Honey, molasses ...
10.3+10.4
10.6
Marmalade, jelly
Type of product
D: fruit, berries
> 50% sugar, incl. all gelatine jellies
10.8
Chocolate products
Spread, bar ...
D: nuts, raisins
10.9
10.20Confectionary
With or without chocolate, mix
Often eaten as mix Excl. choc covered ice cream
10.21
Sugar products, other
Icing, other dessert toppings, candied fruits
Incl. 10.5+10.7
11. Beverages (Non-milk)
Code
Level 2 name
Level 3 classified by
Facet: description
Comments
11.1
Beer
% alcohol
11.2
Wine, table
Red, white
Flavonoid content
Liqueurs, fortified wine
Liqueurs, sherry, port, madeira ...
11.3-11.6+11.21 (incl sweet wine)
11.7
Spirits and brandy
11.8
Still drinks
Squash, lemonade ...
+ sugar or sweetener
Diluted with water
11.9
Carbonated drinks
Colas, Fanta...
Non- diluted
11.11
Water
Tap, mineral water with or without CO2
Coffee
Boiled, filter, instant
+ caffeine
Tea
Black, green, herbal ...
Drinks, misc.
Cider, nectar ...
11.18+11.19
12. Miscellaneous Foods
Code
Level 2 name
Level 3 classified by
Facet: description
Comments
Mayonnaise salads
Mayonnaise, -salads, salad dressings ...
D: vegetables, meat ...
12.3+12.11+12.17
12.9
12.10Soups, sauces
Base constituent
(powder + liquid)
Prepared weight
12.15
Snacks, savory
Base constituent (potato chips, pop corn ...)
D: fat
Other products
Baking goods, condiments, spices ...
12.2+12.6+12.16
13. Products for Special Nutritional Use
Code
Level 2 name
Level 3 classified by
Facet: description
Comments
13.1
Enteral
Powder base or ready to eat product ?
13.2
Fat modified
13.3
Protein enriched
13.4
High carbohydrate
13.5
High energy
Incl 13.7 ?
13.6
Low energy
13.8
Vitamins/minerals
Single/multiple suppl.
+ pills, tonic, oil
Incl n-3 rich oils
13.9
Baby foods
Milk substitute, cereal, dinner, fruit, juice ...