Summary
The USDA National Nutrient Database represents the authoritative US government compilation of food composition data, with successive releases spanning 1950 to 1999 allowing researchers to track changes in nutrient values over time. It has served as the primary data source for several widely cited studies examining apparent declines in mineral and vitamin content of fruit, vegetables and other foods across the latter half of the twentieth century. As a reference database rather than a primary research study, it provides the raw analytical data upon which secondary analyses and trend studies are built, and its methodological consistency across releases is a key consideration when interpreting longitudinal findings.
UK applicability
The database is US-specific and reflects American agricultural varieties, soil conditions and supply chain practices; however, it has been drawn upon in comparative international studies and provides a methodological template relevant to UK and European food composition monitoring efforts such as those conducted by Public Health England and McCance & Widdowson's The Composition of Foods.
Key measures
Nutrient concentrations (vitamins, minerals, macronutrients) per 100 g of food across multiple food categories; values updated across successive releases from 1950 to 1999
Outcomes reported
The database catalogues analytical values for macro- and micronutrients across a wide range of foods, enabling longitudinal comparisons of nutrient content from 1950 through to 1999. It has been used extensively in trend analyses to assess changes in nutrient density of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products over time.
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