2023 Volume 76 Issue 1 Pages 5-14
In the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2020 (hereafter referred to as “Table of Food Composition 2020”), we changed the calculation method of energy (hereafter referred to as “E”), and the E values for all foods. We included both the new E (2020E) and the traditional calculation method E (2015E) in the Table of Food Composition 2020. The agreement rate between 2020E and 2015E for all foods is 97% on average. There are three combinations of E and its calculated ingredients in the Table of Food Composition 2020. Users choose the combination depending on their purposes. It is essential for nutrition calculations to use a calculation software that can efficiently implement those combinations based on the food ingredient data reflecting the latest data from the Table of Ingredients 2020. When presenting E labels on menus and products, one should clearly state which ingredients are E and its calculated ingredients and should also indicate that the data is updated with Tables of Ingredients 2020. Currently, nutritional content labeling uses 2015E and its calculated ingredients, and its original E conversion factor. In the future, we hope that values using E conversion factor based on 2020E and its calculated ingredients will also be indicated in food service facilities' nutritional content labeling.
