ABSTRACT
From a nutrition perspective, the energy content of a food is an important parameter. It is of particular interest to consumers who are aware that their lifestyles make them prone to diseases like obesity and diabetes. They may have been advised to reduce energy intakes, especially by purchasing food products labeled as “reduced in calorie,” “low in calorie,” or “light.” It is necessary for manufactures to have the correct energy values for the different food components in such labeled food products. In many countries, information on the energy provided by a particular food product is required, as is the information on the composition of the various nutrients it provides. Such information is mandatory on prepackaged food products in the U.S., but in the European Union (EU) only certain nutrition claims require this labeling.
