EuroFIR Food Forum
April 23-24, 2024 • Bruxelles, Belgium

Fibre terminology and international cooperation

At the 2024 EuroFIR Food Forum, Dr. Shavawn Forester and Emily Reyes presented progress on the Nutrient Institute's objective to address longstanding inconsistencies in dietary fiber terminology across disciplines with a harmonized ontology. These inconsistencies, which exist in scientific literature, regulatory frameworks, and analytical methodologies, pose challenges to advancing fiber research and its application in public health. Through collaboration with leading experts in fiber research and ontology, we have developed a framework to harmonize terminology and create a unified language that supports greater clarity and interoperability in the field.

​

The ontology of fiber terms is designed to adhere to FAIR principles—ensuring that terms are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. The Nutrient Institute has implemented a rigorous feedback system, collecting insights from fiber experts through structured Google Forms. This input has been reviewed iteratively, with final terms integrated into the Comprehensive Dietary Nutrient Ontology (CDNO) via GitHub. By aligning fiber terms with FAIR standards, the ontology promotes better connectivity with other datasets and enhances usability across research and regulatory applications.

​

Looking ahead, the Nutrient Institute aims to finalize the integration of all approved fiber terms into the CDNO in the coming months, recognizing that the ontology will continue to evolve as new research emerges. Through ongoing collaboration with the scientific community, we are confident that this project will play a pivotal role in advancing dietary fiber research and promoting its positive impact on public health.