News from the National Food Institute

A 360º view of the effects of foods

By exploring both the beneficial and the harmful health-related properties in foods, consumers and authorities become better equipped to predict the health effects of individual...

More knowledge on the role of gut bacteria in diet and health

A research project led by the Technical University of Denmark, DTU, will generate more knowledge of the role gut microbiota plays when people react differently to the same...

The key to good health lies in your gut

Bacteria in the gut affect the risk of developing lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The National Food Institute, Technical University...

Wanted: Tips on how to reduce the intake of sweet treats

Danes are world record holders when it comes to eating sweets, which has an impact on children's health. In a new project, the National Food Institute, Technical University...

Fortified foods can alleviate vitamin D deficiency in Denmark

Foods fortified with vitamin D have proved to be effective in avoiding vitamin D deficiency among Danish and Pakistani women during winter, according to a study from the...

A substantial benefit from replacing steak with fish

The average Dane will gain a health benefit from substituting part of the red and processed meat in their diet with fish, according to calculations from the National Food...

Grains are beneficial to health

A six-year-long, large-scale research cooperation has documented that a diet, which includes whole-grains helps to prevent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Students will soon be able to code and grow greens in class

Danish primary school students are allowed to play with their food in a new project, which lets them grow their own greens in biology class using a food computer.

No reason to recommend a low-gluten diet for everyone

Large study of the effects of eating a low-gluten diet has not prompted the researchers behind it to recommend that people eat a gluten-free diet—unless they suffer...

Extraordinary effort in the study of gut bacteria recognized

Postdoc Martin Laursen from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, has received a Young Researcher Award from the university for his study of the...

Among 15-55-year-old Danes, one in six consume sports nutrition products

Approximately 16% of Danish 15-55-year-olds consume sports nutrition products and one in three users have experienced adverse effects following consumption, according to...

Everyone can get the urge for an ice cream—even when it is made from seaweed...

Two students created an ice cream made from seaweed, berries and fruit from Scandinavia and won a competition regarding innovative and sustainable foods

Several reasons why whole grains are healthy

When overweight adults exchange refined grain products – such as white bread and pasta – with whole grain varieties, they eat less, they lose weight and the...

Denmark occupies unfavourable Nordic first place for smoking and alcohol

Denmark occupies an unfavourable first place as the Nordic country where most adults smoke daily and most frequently drink alcohol. These are some of the key findings of...

More obese adults in the Nordic region

More adults in the Nordic region have become obese. This is one of the key findings of the second Nordic monitoring of diet, physical activity and overweight headed by...

More Nordic adults have an unhealthy diet

More adults in the Nordic region have an unhealthy diet. This is one of the key findings of the second Nordic monitoring of diet, physical activity and overweight headed...

Knowledge about nutrition and dietary habits on the menu

For more than 30 years the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, has studied changes in the Danish dietary habits and mapped out nutrients in the diet...

Pesticide load still lowest in Danish crops

Danish fruits and vegetables generally have a lower pesticide load than similar imported crops on the Danish market. This is the finding of a study which the National Food...

Plant based food supplements are seen as a kind of 'insurance'

Among users of plant based dietary supplements a belief in an alleged beneficial health effect is the predominant motivation for taking the supplements. Many see the supplements...

Food’s transit time is a key factor in digestive health

The time it takes for ingested food to travel through the human gut – also called transit time – affects the amount of harmful degradation products produced...

Risk-benefit assessment: How healthy is our food?

Food affects your health, but to what extent particular foods are good or bad is often not clear. Therefore, it is relevant to do a scientific risk-benefit assessment to...

Many Danes take dietary supplements although few need them

Six out of ten Danes take a dietary supplement even though the majority has an adequate intake of most vitamins and minerals from their diet alone. For many the use of...

Transition to family food determines infants’ gut bacteria

It is the transition to eating the family’s food and not the weight of the mother that has the greatest impact on the composition of gut bacteria in nine-month-old...

Conference puts the spotlight on vitamins

Participate in the 4th International Vitamin Conference. Speakers from Denmark, USA, Australia, India, Ireland and United Kingdom among other countries present the latest...

Amish adults take twice as many steps as Danes

Danish adults take more steps than Americans but less than Australians – and considerably less than Amish adults in Canada. This is one of the findings from a comparison...

Danish women are less physically active

One in three Danes are classified as physically inactive according to data from the Danish National Survey of Diet and Physical Activity from the National Food Institute...

Weight-loss supplements containing raspberry ketone may be harmful

If your trousers are feeling a little too tight post-Christmas and a weight-loss supplement seems tempting in an attempt to shed the extra weight, researchers from the...

Invitation to Professor Tine Rask Licht’s inaugural lecture

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, is hosting Professor Tine Rask Licht’s inaugural lecture on Friday 22 January 2016. Tine Rask Licht...

New and improved access to Danish food data

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, has launched a new database for food data in Denmark. Fødevaredata, as the database is called, is a...

Danes’ vitamin D levels are determined by their genes

Certain genetic variations increase the risk of having a lower level of vitamin D. This is the finding of a PhD project from the National Food Institute, Technical University...

The complex interplay between genetics, diet and lifestyle factors in relation...

Both the human genetic composition and diet and lifestyle factors have an influence on the risk of developing cancer. A PhD project from the National Food Institute, Technical...

Vitamin D levels can be compared across studies and countries

Knowledge about the vitamin D level of a population is important in order to assess the proportion that is vitamin D deficient or is at risk of becoming deficient, and...

Danish women’s weight is still increasing

While the prevalence of overweight or obesity among Danish men and children and adolescents appears to have stagnated, Danish women have become heavier over the past...

Positive trends in the Danish diet

More fish and vegetables and less sugar-sweetened soft drinks are some of the new trends that contribute positively to the Danish diet. These are some of the findings of...

Danes are still eating too much saturated fat

The average Danish diet exceeds the recommended saturated fat content by 50 percent. Only three percent of the population have a healthy intake of saturated fat. This is...

More knowledge needed to ensure safe use of botanicals in food

The challenges related to assessing the safety of botanicals in foods and food supplements and regulating their use were highlighted at a conference held in Denmark in...

Many children and adolescents get too much caffeine from energy drinks

When children aged 10-14 consume energy drinks, one in five consumes too much caffeine. When their caffeine intake from other sources such as cola and chocolate is included...

Healthier packed lunches and more exercise for Danish school children

Most lunch meals eaten by Danish school children are prepared at home. A project at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, will explore how the nutritional...

Increased knowledge about vitamin D with mathematical model

A new mathematical model describes changes in vitamin D concentration in blood and tissue of minipigs after they were fed a vitamin D-enriched diet or exposed to a lamp...

Last chance to register for the conference on botanicals in food

The registration deadline for next month's conference on the use of botanicals in food supplements and foods has been extended until 10 November in order to give more people...

PhD defence about vitamin D3

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, invites you to Anders Burild’s PhD defence about storage of vitamin D3. The defence will take place...

Workshop on the challenges of studying young people’s dietary habits

The challenges of getting young people to participate in dietary studies and the problems related to recording what young people eat will be discussed at a Nordic workshop...

Conference on botanicals in food – here is the programme

Botanicals have gained popularity as ingredients in food supplements and are lately also collected from the wild and used in ordinary food. However, some botanicals may...

Gut microbiota affects intestinal integrity

Bacteria in the gut help the body to digest food, and stimulate the immune system. A PhD project at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, examines...

Conference on botanicals in food – save the date

Botanicals have gained popularity as ingredients in food supplements and are lately also collected from the wild and used in ordinary food. However, some botanicals may...

Big opportunities to reduce food waste in worksite canteens

Worksite canteens and public kitchens are able to reduce their food waste significantly for example by serving fewer dishes every day but in return diversifying what is...

Unique data about Danes’ eating and exercise habits

For several decades the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, has studied what Danes eat and how much they exercise. These studies have created a unique...

New tool for evaluation of microbiological criteria for Campylobacter in broiler...

TRiMiCri is a new software tool for setting and evaluating risk-based microbiological criteria for Campylobacter in broiler meat. The software was developed at the National...

Far more whole grains in Danes' diet

Danes eat almost twice the amount of whole grains that they did a decade ago, according to new calculations from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark...

PhD defence on bioactive peptides

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, invites you to Susan Skanderup Falkenberg’s PhD defence on discovering and characterising novel bioactive...

Vitamin D fortification of milk and bread works

By drinking milk and eating bread fortified with vitamin D, it is possible to avoid vitamin D deficiency during the winter months, according to a PhD project from the National...

Breastfeeding promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut

The nutritional factor that has the greatest impact on the development of a child's gut flora is whether the child is breastfed, according to a new study by the National...

PhD defence on bacteria in the human gut

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, invites you to Ellen Gerd Christensen’s PhD defence which examines whether changes in the composition...

Better methods for integrated assessment of food

Quantitative methods for assessing food and estimating disease burden are significant for understanding the combined effect of hazardous and beneficial substances in food...

Danes are big users of dietary supplements

The use of dietary supplements is widespread in the Danish population, even though the vast majority of Danes have their need for vitamins and minerals met through their...

Overweight in Danish children linked to social inequality

The prevalence in overweight in children goes down as their parents’ level of education goes up, according to a new study by the National Food Institute, Technical...

Free school meals result in healthier lunches

Free school meals have a positive effect on the nutritional quality of school children’s lunches compared to packed lunches brought from home. If parents themselves...

PhD defence on food fortification with vitamin D

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, invites you to Katja Howarth Madsen’s PhD defence on how fortification of milk and bread with vitamin...

PhD defence on quality of dietary intake of a school food programme

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark invites to Marianne Sabinsky’s PhD defence on, how establishment of a school food programme affects the...

Do school children know what they eat?

How accurate are school children in assessing what they have consumed of the packed lunch or school meal? A PhD project explored methods which can be used to describe and...

New light on health-promoting fatty acids

New results demonstrate the challenge of using the special marine fats phospholipids for enrichment of foods. A PhD project at the National Food Institute, Technical University...

A book about enriching foods with omega-3

A new book by researchers at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, gives an overview of enrichment of foods with omega-3 fatty acids. A special...

Danes eat significantly more wholegrain

The wholegrain intake of Danes has increased significantly since 2004. So has the proportion of Danes who meet the recommendation about eating sufficiently wholegrain...

A good grasp on weights and measures of food

How much does an average apple weigh and how much of the meat is lost when you fry a pork steak? A new guide from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark...

The Danes don’t eat as healthy as they think

Danish consumers who believe they have healthy eating habits are not always right. A new study made by the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, shows...

Many Danish schoolchildren eat unhealthy lunches

Too little fish, vegetables and dietary fibre, and a growing trend to choose white bread and fast food over healthier rye bread sandwiches – these are the findings of a...

PhD defence on food enrichment

The National Food Institute invites to Henna Lu Fung Sieng’s PhD defence on the applicability of marine phospholipids intended for food enrichment. The defence takes place...

PhD defence on children’s reporting of their school lunch consumption

The National Food Institute invites to Nina Lyng’s PhD defence on children’s ability to report their school lunch consumption accurately. The defence takes place 21 January...

Nordic women eat healthier than Nordic men

Nordic women eat healthier than their male counterparts, and less than one Nordic child in ten maintains a healthy diet. These are some of the findings of the first Nordic...

Invitation for symposium on omega-3 in food and feed

On 14-15 November, a symposium will focus on production, application and nutritional aspects of novel sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The symposium is organised by the...

PhD defence on the measuring of children’s diet, their health and bodyweight

The National Food Institute invites to Cleide Oliviera de Almeida Møller’s PhD defence on a new approach to the development of a method assessing the risk of disease from...

When does food constitute a health risk?

Our food products contain various nutrients necessary to us humans, but some foods might contain harmful substances as well. Before sounding the alarm, the authorities...

PhD defence on the measuring of children's diet, their health and bodyweight

The National Food Institute invites to Anja Biltoft-Jensen’s PhD defence on the development and validation of a diet registration tool that is set to measure variations...

Presentations from the seminar on health claims

On June 26th The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, and EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, hosted a seminar on health claims. The seminar...

PhD defence on children's energy intake and sleep length

The National Food Institute invites to Berit Worm Rothausen’s PhD defence on measurement of energy intake, dietary patterns on weekdays and weekend days and the relationship...

Invitation to seminar on health claims

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, and EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, invite you to a seminar on health claims being held on 26 June...

PhD defence on improving performance in fish supply chains

The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark invites to Maria Randrup Rasmussen’s PhD defence on how the performance in fish supply chains can be improved...

Developing healthy fast food

Danes need a wider choice of healthier and more sustainable fast food. A new development project at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, is helping...

New vitamin study thorough and reliable

A new study concludes that intake of vitamin A, vitamin E and beta-carotene seems to increase mortality. The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark finds...

Guidelines for healthy snacks

Most Danes eat snacks every day that contribute significantly to their daily diet and energy. However, our snacks often contain too much sugar. The National Food Institute...

Evaluating EU-funded school fruit schemes

Teachers are seeing increased student motivation for learning when schools hand out fruit, and the majority of the participating schools want to continue the scheme. This...

Conference spotlights vitamins in foods

Vitamin experts from all over the world are meeting in Copenhagen on 23-25 May 2012 for the second international vitamin conference organised by the National Food Institute...

Ultraviolet B light boosts vitamin D content in plants

Plants treated with ultraviolet B (UVB) light have a higher vitamin D content and therefore have the potential to become a new source of vitamin D throughout the year...

News release: Nordic survey of diet, physical activity and overweight under way

The first joint Nordic survey is currently being conducted and will enable comparison of results on diet, physical activity and overweight across all five Nordic countries...

Find out more about the nutritional content of your food

Press release: Mix of endocrine disrupters a dangerous cocktail

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are harmless individually in small doses, can together be a dangerous cocktail. Concurrent exposure to several endocrine-disrupting...