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Energy Density and Nutrient Contents of Selective Chinese New Year Snacks
Michelle Ting Yun Yeo1, Penny Liu Qing Yeo1, Xinyan Bi1
1Clinical Nutrition Research Centre (CNRC), Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore.
Background:
In this study, the energy density and nutrient contents of thirty Chinese New Year (CNY) snacks commonly consumed in the Asian region during the CNY festive season were measured.
Methods:
Calorie Answer™, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were the main methods applied in this study.
Results:
All snacks showed high energy density (kJ/100 g) and the nutrient content, including macro-and micronutrients of these snacks were remarkably different. The most abundant minerals in these snacks include sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Palmitic (C16:0), oleic (C18:1) and linoleic (C18:2) acids were the main fatty acids and trans-fat was only identified in Butter cookies.
Conclusions:
This study provides a large database on macro- and micronutrient contents in CNY snacks consumed in the Asian region that has not been previously reported. Our results indicate that the snacks were generally energy-dense and nutrient-poor. This study provides necessary information to enable the reformulation of snacks with lower saturated fat and sodium content. It is also a source of information for consumers to select healthier snacks.
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