Data Credibility
The FoodEssentials Database is the most comprehensive ingredient, allergen and additive database in existence. Over the last 5 years the FoodEssentials team have worked tirelessly with consumer advocacy groups and health professionals in both Australia and USA.
The original concept and research was born in Brisbane, Australia in 2003. The open culture of Australia providing proximity and access to both health professionals, consumer advocacy groups, and government organisations. All of which contributed to the foundation of a sustainable and comprehensive data model – in short, this early communication helped us to better understand the scope of the issues with Product Information so as to create a data model that encompassed a comprehensive solution for all issues.
As we continued to develop our data model and Food Comparison Tool the direct contact with these organisations, again, helped to provide feedback so that we considered the fine balance between being informative and being information overload. A balance was struck, the basis of which can now be seen in our Comparison Tool.
One of the most important things that we learnt was that, although initially people always wanted a quicker way to “filter” results to only show the products that suited their specific dietary need, once they got these results, inevitably they wanted to see the results that weren’t in their filter. This is why we built a comparison tool that shows the good and the bad results next to each other, although initially not the most intuitive, it is a comprehensive and flexible way to display a vast amount of complex information and get the results that suit your specific dietary needs.
We always encourage feedback on our processes and tools. It is how we have arrived at this place. So please, keep up the communications and let us know what you think and hopefully we can all help to change the way the world chooses its food.
sincerely,
Anton Xavier
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Your database is wonderful.
Here’s something I’d like to see–the ability to combine categories of food AND whatever ingredient you care about (in my case, gluten-free as I work with a lot of newly diagnosed patients with celiac disease). For example, [Kids cereals + Breakfast Bars] AND gluten-free. This would allow me to build and display a more comprehensive list into one-widget, rather than having many widgets with different foods.
Thanks!
Thanks for the suggestion Evelyn.
We are in fact working on something very similar to this which we hope to release in the next few weeks. Perhaps if you are interested I will send you and email so you can test it out before we release it and give us your feedback. Will be in touch.
best regards,
Anton Xavier