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Processed foods available in the Pacific Islands
Wendy Snowdon1, Astika Raj, Erica Reeve
1C-POND, Fiji National University and Deakin University, C/O College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, FNU (Tamavua Campus), Private Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji. wendy.snowdon@deakin.edu.au.
Globalization and Health
|October 29, 2013
Summary
Processed food labels in the Pacific Islands often lack nutrient information and contain inaccuracies. This study created a dataset to improve understanding of imported processed food composition and labeling challenges.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Food Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Global reliance on processed foods is increasing, but nutrient data is often missing.
- Pacific Islands heavily depend on imported foods due to shared trade links.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a comprehensive dataset on the nutrient composition of processed foods available in the Pacific Islands.
- To identify the sources and labeling practices of these imported processed foods.
Main Methods:
- Collected data from food labels in five Pacific Island countries (Fiji, Guam, Nauru, New Caledonia, Samoa).
- Recorded information on country of origin, nutrient content, and promotional claims for 6041 processed food items.
- Standardized data to per 100 g and performed data cleaning and error checking.
Main Results:
- Identified 54 countries of origin for processed foods, with political ties influencing primary suppliers.
- Nutrient data was missing for 6% of products, and 132 products had inaccurate labels.
- Over 25% of processed foods featured nutrient or health-related claims.
Conclusions:
- Globalized food supply significantly impacts Pacific Island diets.
- While nutrient labels can aid consumers, challenges persist with poor labeling and interpretation difficulties.
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