Nutrient Rich Foods Index NRF9.3 Rates Nutrient Density of Kiwifruit in the US and in France

This study used the Nutrient-Rich Food (NRF9.3) index to compare the overall nutrient density of kiwifruit with that of other fruits and juices in two national nutrient composition datasets: the US Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) and the French ANSES/CIQUAL database. Additional data for five kiwifruit cultivars came from the New Zealand Food Composition Tables (NZFCT). NRF9.3 scores were calculated for kiwifruit, citrus fruit, berries, other fruit and juice, cooked and dried fruit, exotic fruit, and fruit cocktails and salads. The NRF9.3 components were the positive NR9 subscore that included protein, fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E, and a negative LIM that was based on saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium. Kiwifruit (n-6) had the highest mean NRF9.3 scores in both the FNDDS and the ANSES/CIQUAL database. Kiwifruit had significantly higher NRF9.3 scores than all other fruit categories, except for citrus fruit and tropical fruit (FNDDS) and citrus fruit and berries (ANSES/CIQUAL). As shown by the NRF9.3 overall nutrient density metric, kiwifruit was high in other micronutrients in addition to its high content of vitamin C. Nutrient-profiling methods use fiber and multiple vitamins and minerals to identify the most nutrient-dense food items and can be applied to different databases globally. Assessing the nutrient density of fruit, with a focus on shortfall micronutrients, can help in the implementation of dietary guidance.