Environmental impact and nutritional quality of adult diet in France based on fruit and vegetable intakes

PURPOSE

To describe the nutritional quality and environmental impact of self-selected diets of adults in France in relation to their fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes.

METHODS

Estimates of food and nutrient intakes were taken from the national INCA3 Survey on food intakes carried out in France in 2014-2015. The population (n = 2121 adults) was split into five quintiles of FV intakes, in g/d (Q1 representing the lowest intake, and Q5 the highest). The nutritional quality of diets was assessed through 4 indicators: mean adequacy ratio (MAR), solid energy density, mean excess ratio (MER) and Programme National Nutrition Santé guideline score 2 (PNNS-GS2). The environmental impacts were measured with environmental footprint (EF) scores and 4 additional indicators: climate change, ozone depletion, fine particulate matter and water use. Indicators were compared between quintiles. Analysis was conducted on diets adjusted to 2000 kcal.

RESULTS

MAR and PNNS-GS2 increased with increased FV quintiles, while solid energy density decreased. Fibre, potassium, vitamin B9 and vitamin C densities increased with increasing FV intakes. Climate change, ozone depletion and fine particulate matter impacts of diets decreased with increasing quintiles of FV consumption. Conversely, water use impact increased.

CONCLUSION

Higher intake of FV is associated with higher nutritional quality of diets and lower environmental impact, except for water use. Given the benefits of fruit and vegetables for human health and the environment, their negative impact on water use could be improved by working on the agricultural upstream, rather than by changing individuals' food choices and reducing their consumption.

Comparison of pesticide residue and specific nutrient levels in peeled and unpeeled apples

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown that the consumption of apples has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular diseases and some cancers, largely as a result of their micronutrient and phytoconstituent contents. Apple peel not only contains more polyphenols than the flesh, but also is likely to contain pesticide residues. The present study aimed to compare the contents of certain micronutrients and residual pesticide levels in peeled and unpeeled apples.

RESULTS

Peeled apples contained fewer pesticide residues at lower concentrations than unpeeled apples. However, whether samples were peeled or not, the exposure values for pesticide residues in apples never exceeded the acceptable daily intake (ADI), but ranged between 0.04% and 2.10% of the ADI in adults for food intake estimated at the 95th percentile (277 g per person per day). Determination of polyphenol, fibre, magnesium and vitamin C levels showed that the nutritional differences observed between peeled and unpeeled apples were marginal.

CONCLUSION

The consumption of apples, such as the apples tested in the present study, results in an exposure to pesticides that is low for unpeeled apples, and lower for peeled apples. Moreover, there was no significant loss of nutritional value from eating peeled apples based on the nutrients investigated. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.