The FAO/UNU food composition initiative

The need for food composition data was critical from the very beginning of the UNʹs establishment of FAO. FAOʹs early development of the World Food Surveys relied on food composition data. Then, as now, support for agricultural planning and production relied on knowledge about the content of foods in terms of nutrients to maintain health. Information about food components has always been important for quality control of processed and manufactured foods. Similarly, data on food composition are crucial when providing assistance to government departments that need to assess the nutrition status of populations and groups with special physiological needs.