NVIP contains databases with information about foods. NVIP is advised by an advisory board with scientific experts, data providers and users of NEVO data. The RIVM staff are advised in their work by this board. Also, two members perform a quality audit in the period short before publication of NEVO-online.

International collaboration

In the past decades several European projects (e.g. INFOODS, COST99, EuroFIR) worked on improving quality and exchangeability of data in national food composition databases. RIVM participated in these projects. The result is improved comparability of food consumption data between countries.

EuroFIR AISBL

RIVM is a member of the non profit association EuroFIR AISBL, which was founded in 2009. Its purpose is to develop, publish and exploit food composition information, and promote international cooperation and harmonisation of standards to improve data quality, storage and access. This improves data quality and storage and access can be easier.

Issues of primary importance include definition of food components, and classification of food items, analytical methods, recipe calculations, exchange of data with the food industry, quality assurance, education. Data from NEVO are given to EuroFIR for searchable EuroFIR FoodEXplorer tool, which allows members to search information. FoodEXplorer shows data from European and wordwide food composition tables. RIVM uses this tool for nutritional values of products with data gaps in Dutch information.

Software FoodCASE is developed for maintaining the database with regard to the EuroFIR guidelines. NEVO-team uses this system and participates in the FoodCASE user group, in which we share experiences and get information about new functionalities. The staff of NEVO uses the EuroFIR partnership to exchange knowledge about food composition databases.