Developing a National Agri-Food Composition Database to Support Nutrition, Trade, and Rural Development in Vietnam

Reliable and up-to-date food composition data are vital for nutrition policy, public health programs, and sustainable agricultural planning. Yet, Vietnam has lacked such a comprehensive and standardized national resource. This study developed Vietnam’s first agri-food composition database by analyzing 100 representative food products across seven groups—cereals, tubers, legumes and nuts, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and dairy—using standardized laboratory methods. Three samples of each product were purposively collected from key production regions between January 2022 and June 2024 to capture seasonal and geographic variation. The results revealed substantial differences in nutrient profiles among food groups. Legumes and nuts were the richest sources of crude protein and crude lipids, with soybeans showing the highest protein level (34.82 g/100 g) and macadamia nuts, the highest lipid content (76.3 g/100 g). Fruits and vegetables were major sources of vitamins, particularly vitamin C, with guava showing the highest level among fruits (153.37 mg/100 g). Animal-sourced foods such as eggs and dairy provided high-quality proteins and essential fats, while cereals and tubers remained important staple energy sources in the Vietnamese diet. This database provides a critical foundation for nutrition education, dietary guideline development, food safety monitoring, and nutrition-sensitive agricultural policies. Future efforts will expand the range of foods analyzed, standardize analytical protocols, and integrate Vietnam’s database with regional and global food composition networks to support evidence-based nutrition strategies and sustainable food system development.