Division of Welfare and Health Promotion, Department of Lifestyle and Participation, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland.
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;64 Suppl 3:S58-63. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.212.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The main aim of the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) project is to develop and disseminate a comprehensive, coherent and validated data bank for the distribution of food composition data (FCD). This can only be accomplished by harmonising food description and data documentation and by the use of standardised thesauri.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: The data bank is implemented through a network of local FCD storages (usually national) under the control and responsibility of the local (national) EuroFIR partner.
The implementation of the system based on the EuroFIR specifications is under development. The data interchange happens through the EuroFIR Web Services interface, allowing the partners to implement their system using methods and software suitable for the local computer environment. The implementation uses common international standards, such as Simple Object Access Protocol, Web Service Description Language and Extensible Markup Language (XML). A specifically constructed EuroFIR search facility (eSearch) was designed for end users. The EuroFIR eSearch facility compiles queries using a specifically designed Food Data Query Language and sends a request to those network nodes linked to the EuroFIR Web Services that will most likely have the requested information. The retrieved FCD are compiled into a specifically designed data interchange format (the EuroFIR Food Data Transport Package) in XML, which is sent back to the EuroFIR eSearch facility as the query response. The same request-response operation happens in all the nodes that have been selected in the EuroFIR eSearch facility for a certain task. Finally, the FCD are combined by the EuroFIR eSearch facility and delivered to the food compiler.
The implementation of FCD interchange using decentralised computer systems instead of traditional data-centre models has several advantages. First of all, the local partners have more control over their FCD, which will increase commitment and improve quality. Second, a multicentred solution is more economically viable than the creation of a centralised data bank, because of the lack of national political support for multinational systems.
背景/目的：欧洲食品信息资源（EuroFIR）项目的主要目标是开发和传播一个全面、连贯和经过验证的数据银行，用于分配食品成分数据（FCD）。这只能通过协调食品描述和数据文档以及使用标准化词库来实现。
研究对象/方法：该数据库是通过在本地（国家）EuroFIR 合作伙伴的控制和责任下运作的本地 FCD 存储网络（通常是国家）来实施的。
基于 EuroFIR 规范的系统实施正在开发中。数据交换通过 EuroFIR Web 服务接口进行，允许合作伙伴使用适合本地计算机环境的方法和软件来实现其系统。该实现使用了常见的国际标准，如简单对象访问协议、Web 服务描述语言和可扩展标记语言（XML）。为最终用户设计了一个专门构建的 EuroFIR 搜索工具（eSearch）。EuroFIR eSearch 工具使用专门设计的食品数据查询语言编制查询，并向那些最有可能拥有请求信息的与 EuroFIR Web 服务相关联的网络节点发送请求。检索到的 FCD 被编译成一个专门设计的数据交换格式（EuroFIR 食品数据传输包），以 XML 格式发送回 EuroFIR eSearch 工具作为查询响应。在 EuroFIR eSearch 工具中为特定任务选择的所有节点中，都会发生相同的请求-响应操作。最后，EuroFIR eSearch 工具将 FCD 组合并交付给食品编译器。
使用分散式计算机系统而不是传统的数据中心模型来实现 FCD 交换具有几个优势。首先，本地合作伙伴对其 FCD 的控制更多，这将提高承诺度并提高质量。其次，由于缺乏对跨国系统的国家政治支持，多中心解决方案比创建中央数据库更具经济可行性。
