The DAFNE food data bank as a tool for monitoring food availability in Europe. DAta Food NEtworking.

DAFNE, the acronym for DAta Food NEtworking, aims at the creation of a pan-European food data bank based on household budget surveys. It relies on household budget surveys that provide a unique source of dietary information that can be used to form a system that meets several requirements, including large sample size, representativeness, timeliness, and economic efficiency. In this brief overview of the project, the methodology is summarised, validation procedures are indicated, and examples of the information that can be harvested is provided. The DAFNE data could provide the background for the development of recommended dietary objectives customised to particular populations and form the basis for evidence-based nutritional policies serving guidelines of global applicability.