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The Saudi Food and Drug Authority, represented by the National Nutrition Committee, developed the database in partnership with the Health Sector Transformation Program, according to an official SFDA release. It supplies comprehensive information on calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber drawn from local Saudi foods and recipes using standardized scientific methods. The authority reported that the resource will serve as a national reference to inform health studies, dietary guidelines and consumer education while supporting digital tools for nutrition tracking.
Laboratory work tied to the linked Saudi Food Composition Tables book encompassed 130 traditional dishes prepared according to a uniform protocol, the SFDA detailed. Each dish underwent three separate preparations with a minimum of 12 samples drawn per item for testing that measured 49 macro and micronutrients. This process generated more than 19,000 laboratory analyses that were then verified for consistency and accuracy, SFDA figures show.
A 2023 study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis had highlighted the absence of a dedicated Saudi food composition database, prompting reliance on outdated or foreign data sources. That gap extended to the wider Gulf region where local nutritional profiles were often incomplete, according to researchers who compiled an earlier branded beverage database covering 1,748 products in 2021. The new national database builds on those foundations by focusing on both traditional recipes and commercially available items, an SFDA assessment found.
Officials anticipate the database will strengthen evidence-based policymaking to tackle diet-related conditions including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the SFDA said. It will additionally aid food manufacturers in refining product development, nutritional labeling and reformulation efforts to meet regulatory standards. Healthcare professionals and dietitians gain a localized tool for advising patients on traditional diets, according to the authority’s announcement.
The initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 priorities for modernizing the health and food sectors through digital transformation, SFDA statements noted. By centralizing reliable data, the database enables creation of applications that track dietary intake and support national nutrition strategies. Academic institutions across the Middle East can now reference the resource for clinical research and population studies, a Saudi Gazette report indicated.
The complete Saudi Food Composition Tables book, a primary deliverable of the project, has been published digitally on the SFDA website for public access, the authority announced. Coverage by Caterer Middle East underscored the database’s relevance to the regional food service sector in improving menu planning and nutritional transparency. This rollout marks a milestone in documenting Saudi culinary heritage alongside advancing community health awareness, SFDA data confirms.
