title: Rapid estimation of the energy content of composite foods: the application of the Calorie Answer™.
abstract: The estimation of calories in foods is central in the maintenance of body weight and energy regulation. Conventional laboratory analysis using bomb calorimetry to determine calorie content is expensive and time-consuming. There is a need to explore alternative techniques for calorie estimation that requires less processing and resources. The potential of using near infrared spectroscopy for calorie measurements with Calorie Answer™ was evaluated in this study. The caloric content of 105 different foods was measured, and compared against values reported on nutrition labels. The average percentage relative standard deviation for triplicate measurements was 1.7% for all foods. The percentage difference between stated and measured calories was modest, at 4.0% for all foods. Stated and measured calorie contents were significantly and highly correlated (R2=0.98, p<0.001). The use of near infrared spectroscopy, using Calorie Answer™, is a rapid, reproducible and cost-effective way of measuring calorie content in a diverse range of foods. Its application in many parts of Asia Pacific and other emerging nations will generate much needed information on the calorie content of complex foods consumed by people living in these regions.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hui Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore.
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quek
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore.
authors.forename: Siang Wee
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore. jeya_henry@sics.a-star.edu.sg.|Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jeyakumar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henry
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D002149:Energy Intake; D005504:Food Analysis; D005515:Food Labeling; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012846:Singapore; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000191:economics