Low vitamin D status and intake are prevalent among the Australian population, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We hypothesised that some traditional foods could contain vitamin D, and measured vitamin D in foods from Nyoongar Country, Western Australia. Samples of kangaroo, emu, squid/calamari and lobster/crayfish were collected and prepared by Aboriginal people using traditional and contemporary methods. We measured vitamin D3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), vitamin D2 and 25(OH)D2 using liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Kangaroo meat and offal were largely devoid of vitamin D (no mean values >0.1 μg/100 g). Vitamin D3 was found in emu meat and calamari/squid (range 0.5-1.0 μg/100 g). No samples contained 25(OH)D3, vitamin D2 or 25(OH)D2 at mean values >0.1 μg/100 g. Modern food composition data can complement traditional knowledges in the promotion of traditional foods for healthy eating and social and emotional wellbeing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

AIM:This cross-sectional study aimed to measure total polyphenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, lutein and lycopene in Australian-grown horticultural commodities. METHODS:Primary samples (n = 822) of Australian-grown fruit, vegetables and nuts were purchased during peak growing season in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth between June 2021 and May 2022. Samples were prepared (e.g., peeled, trimmed, de-seeded) as they would usually be consumed. Raw, composite samples were analysed using spectrometry (polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins), normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet-visible detection (lutein) and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet-visible detection (lycopene). RESULTS:A nationally representative dataset of two types of antioxidants (total polyphenols and flavonoids) in 86 types of fresh fruit (n = 38), dried fruit (n = 6), fresh vegetables (n = 38) and nuts (n = 4) was produced. Total anthocyanins, lutein and lycopene were measured in a subset of foods. CONCLUSIONS:The new data reflect current growing practices, varieties, climate, and analytical methods and provide information that will assist consumer education on sources of dietary antioxidants.

Australian agriculture supplies many horticultural commodities to domestic and international markets; however, food composition data for many commodities are outdated or unavailable. We produced an up-to-date, nationally representative dataset of up to 148 nutrients and related components in 92 Australian-grown fruit (fresh n=39, dried n=6), vegetables (n=43) and nuts (n=4) by replacing outdated data (pre-2000), confirming concentrations of important nutrients and retaining relevant existing data. Primary samples (n = 902) were purchased during peak growing season in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth between June 2021 and May 2022. While new data reflect current growing practices, varieties, climate and analytical methods, few notable differences were found between old and new data where methods of analysis are comparable. The new data will be incorporated into the Australian Food Composition Database, allowing free online access to stakeholders. The approach used could serve as a model for cost-effective updates of national food composition databases worldwide.

Vitamin K is emerging as a multi-function vitamin that plays a role in bone, brain and vascular health. Vitamin K composition data remain limited globally and Australia has lacked nationally representative data for vitamin K1 (phylloquinone, PK) in horticultural commodities. Primary samples (n = 927) of 90 different Australian-grown fruit, vegetable and nut commodities were purchased in three Australian cities. We measured PK in duplicate in 95 composite samples using liquid chromatography with electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry. The greatest mean concentrations of PK were found in kale (565 ug/100 g), baby spinach (255 ug/100 g) and Brussels sprouts (195 ug/100 g). The data contribute to the global collection of vitamin K food composition data. They add to the evidence that PK concentrations vary markedly between geographic regions, supporting development of region-specific datasets for national food composition databases that do not yet contain data for vitamin K.

Fortified foods are an important source of dietary vitamin D, since this nutrient occurs naturally in relatively low concentrations in a limited number of foods. Hence, we aimed to investigate the accuracy of the declared vitamin D content of Australian fortified foods. Vitamin D-3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D-3 (25(OH)D-3), vitamin D2 and 25(OH) D-2 were measured in 30 fortified food samples (edible oil spreads, malted chocolate drink powders, soy milks and breakfast cereals) using liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The measured vitamin D content ranged from -54 % to + 190 % of declared values. One product had measured vitamin D content close to the declared value, while 10 of 14 products had vitamin D in excess of that declared. Label information proved an unreliable indicator of measured vitamin D content across all product categories, which may be problematic for those relying on fortified foods as their main source of vitamin D.

Studies in UK and US have reported a temporal decline in the iron content of plant-based foods. Limited research on this topic has been conducted in Australia. The aim of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive evaluation on the temporal change in iron content of Australian vegetables and legumes from 1900 onward. A systematic search of electronic databases, websites, backward reference searching, and Australian food composition tables was conducted. A total of 34 articles and six versions of Australian food composition databases published between 1930s to 2021, were included in this review. Overall, iron content of vegetables and legumes were assessed at limited time points and geographical origin, cultivars, sampling and analytical techniques varied across studies. The majority of vegetables had similar iron content between two or more timepoints but decreases of 30–50% were noted for sweet corn, red-skinned potatoes, cauliflower and green beans while increases of 150–300% were seen for Hass avocadoes, mushrooms and silverbeet. More pronounced reductions in iron content were observed for legumes, with higher and more variable values reported pre-2000 compared to recent years. Due to limited data and variations in sampling and analytical techniques, no definitive conclusions could be established. As plant-based diets are becoming more popular, consistent monitoring of the nutrient composition of staple plant-based foods is strongly recommended.

Vitamin K is vital for normal blood coagulation, and may influence bone, neurological and vascular health. Data on the vitamin K content of Australian foods are limited, preventing estimation of vitamin K intakes in the Australian population. We measured phylloquinone (PK) and menaquinone (MK) -4 to -10 in cheese, yoghurt and meat products (48 composite samples from 288 primary samples) by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry. At least one K vitamer was found in every sample. The greatest mean (± standard deviation for foods sampled in multiple cities) concentrations of PK (4.9 µg/100 g), MK-4 (58 ± 9 µg/100 g) and MK-9 (8 ± 2 µg/100 g) were found in lamb liver, chicken leg meat and Cheddar cheese, respectively. Cheddar cheese (1.1 ± 0.3 µg/100 g) and cream cheese (1.0 µg/100 g) contained MK-5. MK-8 was found in Cheddar cheese only (4 ± 2 µg/100 g). As the K vitamer profile and concentrations appear to vary considerably by geographical location, Australia needs a vitamin K food composition dataset that is representative of foods consumed in Australia.

Low vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration < 50 nmol/L) is prevalent in Australia, ranging between 15% and 32% in the adolescent and adult populations. Vitamin D intakes are also low across the population and were recently estimated at 1.8–3.2 µg/day on average, assuming equal bioactivity of the D vitamers. In combination, these findings strongly suggest that data-driven nutrition policy is needed to increase vitamin D intake and improve status in the Australian population. Food fortification is a potential strategy. We used up-to-date vitamin D food composition data for vitamin D3, 25(OH)D3, vitamin D2, and 25(OH)D2, and nationally representative food and supplement consumption data from the 2011–2013 Australian Health Survey, to model a fortification scenario of 0.8 µg/100 mL vitamin D for fluid dairy milks and alternatives. Under the modelled fortification scenario, the mean vitamin D intake increased by ~2 µg/day from baseline to 4.9 µg/day from food only (7.2 µg/day including supplements). Almost all individual intakes remained substantially below 10 µg/day, which is the Estimated Average Requirement in North America. In conclusion, this modelling showed that fortification of fluid milks/alternatives with vitamin D at the current permitted level would produce a meaningful increase in vitamin D intake, which could be of potential benefit to those with a low vitamin D status. However, this initial step would be insufficient to ensure that most of the population achieves the North American EAR for vitamin D intake. This approach could be included as an effective component of a more comprehensive strategy that includes vitamin D fortification of a range of foods.

Background Nearly one in four Australian adults is vitamin D deficient (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations [25(OH)D] < 50 nmol L-1) and current vitamin D intakes in the Australian population are unknown. Internationally, vitamin D intakes are commonly below recommendations, although estimates generally rely on food composition data that do not include 25(OH)D. We aimed to estimate usual vitamin D intakes in the Australian population. Methods Nationally representative food consumption data were collected for Australians aged >= 2 years (n = 12,153) as part of the cross-sectional 2011-2013 Australian Health Survey (AHS). New analytical vitamin D food composition data for vitamin D-3, 25(OH)D-3, vitamin D-2 and 25(OH)D-2 were mapped to foods and beverages that were commonly consumed by AHS participants. Usual vitamin D intakes (mu g day(-1)) by sex and age group were estimated using the National Cancer Institute method. Results Assuming a 25(OH)D bioactivity factor of 1, mean daily intakes of vitamin D ranged between 1.84 and 3.25 mu g day(-1). Compared to the estimated average requirement of 10 mu g day(-1) recommended by the Institute of Medicine, more than 95% of people had inadequate vitamin D intakes. We estimated that no participant exceeded the Institute of Medicine's Upper Level of Intake (63-100 mu g day(-1), depending on age group). Conclusions Usual vitamin D intakes in Australia are low. This evidence, paired with the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Australia, suggests that data-driven nutrition policy is required to safely increase dietary intakes of vitamin D and improve vitamin D status at the population level.

Australia needs accurate vitamin D food composition data to support public health initiatives. Previously, limitations in analytical methodology have precluded development of a comprehensive database. We used liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QQQ) to analyse 149 composite samples representing 98 foods (primary samples n = 896) in duplicate for vitamin D3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), vitamin D2, 25(OH)D2. The greatest concentrations of vitamin D3 were found in canned salmon and a malted chocolate drink powder (fortified); chicken eggs and chicken leg meat contained the most 25(OH)D3. Margarine (fortified) and chocolate contained the greatest concentrations of vitamin D2, with smaller amounts found in various meat products. 25(OH)D2 was detected in various foods, including meats, and was quantitated in lamb liver. These data advance knowledge of dietary vitamin D in Australia and highlight the importance of analysis of these four forms of vitamin D to accurately represent the vitamin D content of food.

Dietary vitamin D may compensate for inadequate sun exposure; however, there have been few investigations into the vitamin D content of Australian foods. We measured vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) in four species of white fish (barramundi, basa, hoki and king dory), and chicken eggs (cage and free-range), purchased from five Australian cities. Samples included local, imported and wild-caught fish, and eggs of varying size from producers with a range of hen stocking densities. Raw and cooked samples were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array. Limits of reporting were 0.2 and 0.1 μg/100 g for vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3, respectively. The vitamin D3 content of cooked white fish ranged from <0.1 to 2.3 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 μg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked cage eggs ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 μg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked free-range eggs ranged from 0.3 to 2.2 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 μg/100 g. If, as has been suggested, 25(OH)D3 has five times greater bioactivity than vitamin D3, one cooked serve (100 g) of white fish, and one cooked serve of cage or free-range eggs (120 g) may provide 50% or 100%, respectively, of the current guidelines for the adequate intake of vitamin D (5 µg) for Australians aged 1–50 years.

Given the scarcity of comprehensive nutritional data for Australia's >400 commercially produced seafood species a pilot study was undertaken to collect and analyse 22 species of wild and aquaculture seafood in order to develop a model for future comprehensive surveys. The species analysed were: Atlantic salmon, Australian sardine, prawn (six species), barramundi, abalone (three species), blue sprat, burrowing blackfish, gummy shark, oyster (four species), ocean trout and yellowtail kingfish. The analyses undertaken in this pilot study were: moisture, protein, total fat, cholesterol, fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamins A and D, and 21 mineral elements (including total mercury and methyl mercury). The data reported here are for vitamin D and mercury only. Comprehensive data have already been published elsewhere. Issues identified that should be addressed prior to undertaking a more extensive and representative study of the remaining major edible commercial Australian seafood species include: choice of samples and nutrients for analysis, facilities for sample handling and storage, data management and scrutiny, and laboratory quality control.

The purpose of the study was to examine temporal changes in meat/poultry/fish consumption patterns between 1995 and 2011–2012 in the Australian population. Meat/poultry/fish consumption from all food sources, including recipes, was analysed by gender, age group, and socio-economic status using 24-h recall data from the 1995 National Nutrition Survey (n = 13,858) and the 2011–2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (n = 12,153). The overall proportion of people consuming meat/poultry/fish remained stable (91.7% versus 91.3%, p = 0.55), but a shift in the type of meat consumed was observed. Red meat, including beef and lamb, was consumed by fewer people over the time period (from 56% to 49%), whereas poultry consumption increased (from 29% to 38%). Amounts of all meat/poultry/fish consumed were reportedly higher in 2011–2012 compared with 1995. This resulted in similar (red meat, and processed meat) or slightly higher (poultry, and fish) per-capita intakes in 2011–2012. The magnitude of change of consumption varied between children and adults, and by gender. Monitoring trends in consumption is particularly relevant to policy makers, researchers and other health professionals for the formulation of dietary recommendations and estimation of potential health outcomes.

OBJECTIVES:To assess the potential dietary supply of vitamin D to Australian adults by application of new data for Australian primary foods of animal origin.METHODS:New published analytical data on the vitamin D contents of Australian primary foods from animal products were obtained and assessed for reliability. Using food consumption data from Australian population dietary surveys for 1995 and 2011-2013, estimates were made of the likely average daily intakes of vitamin D equivalents from these sources by Australian adults.RESULTS:Meats, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy produce may alone have contributed about 4.2 μg vitamin D equivalents per day to average Australian diets of adults >18 years in 1995 and 4.3 μg in 2011-2013.CONCLUSIONS:Dietary vitamin D intake in Australia is likely to be higher than previously estimated because new data from improved analytical methods reveal the contributions to vitamin D supply from foods of animal origin. Absence of reliable vitamin D data for milk and milk products, and the gaps in vitamin D data for many commonly consumed seafood, poultry, eggs and processed animal products greatly limit estimation of dietary vitamin D intakes by Australians.

Development of the Australian food composition program, focussing on the enablers and barriers to progress, is reviewed following a process of reference harvesting and unstructured interviews with experts. Strong growth in new data and publications during the 1930s and 1970/80s was followed by more stagnant periods, particularly during the 1990s, enabled by data needs for national nutrition surveys, labelling requirements and national policy needs. From the late 1980s there was a move from paper to computerised tables and then to online databases in the 2000s. Australia's food composition tables have evolved in line with international developments in science and changed data publication methods. Maintaining the timeliness of these databases requires significant investment in new analytical data and skilled scientists to drive this process.

Some nutrient data for beef sausages in Australia's food composition table, NUTTAB 2010, is over 25 years old and may no longer reflect the composition of this popular food. To update this, 41 retail samples of fresh beef sausages were purchased in Melbourne, Australia, in May 2015. Each purchase was analysed, uncooked, for moisture, protein and fat. Sausages were then grouped by fat content into one of three composites and analysed for a wide range of nutrients, before and after dry heat cooking, the most popular sausage cooking method. Fat content in raw sausages averaged 14.9 g/100 g, 30% lower than NUTTAB values, varying from 7.3 to 22.6 g/100 g. This indicates it is possible to formulate leaner sausages that meet consumer expectations and may qualify for certain nutrition labelling statements. Under current Australian labelling requirements, two low fat sausages contain sufficient protein, B12, niacin, phosphorus and zinc to qualify as a good source of these nutrients and sufficient iron, selenium and vitamin A to qualify as a source of these. Sodium levels are higher than fresh beef, ranging from 680 to 840 mg/100 g. These data will be used to update NUTTAB and support product labelling and consumer education.