Using the Canadian Nutrient File in Food and Nutrition Courses

Food formulation and dietary assessment are essential components of the curricula of undergraduate programs in nutrition, dietetics, and food science. The purpose of this study was to develop a new educational tool using the Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) and Microsoft (MS) Excel, implement the tool in undergraduate coursework, and evaluate its performance through student feedback. The proposed procedure allows students to learn and understand how to calculate key elements in the nutrition facts table and in dietary assessment obtained using a 24-h food recall. The application areas include food, nutrition and dietetic courses, agri-food businesses, food services, nutritional counselling, and research.