The CLAS (Composition and Labelling Information System) tool was developed by the Nutrition Institute for efficient conduction of food monitoring studies and generation of branded food datasets. It is nowadays used by research and governmental organisations in different countries.
CLAS comprises a mobile application CLAS and CLAS cloud web platform:
- The mobile application CLAS simplifies the collection of food packaging photographs in food stores. Barcodes are used to avoid duplicate records, even if the study is conducted in different stores at the same time.
- The CLAS cloud web platform supports efficient and systematic data extraction, and data processing. Monitoring can include all types of foods, including food supplements. Collection of data is automated with the help of optical character recognition to extract text from photographs. Tailored functionalities are available for different types of data on labels, with particular emphasis on nutrient composition and ingredients, which includes food additives, vitamins and minerals, and allergens. Other functionalities enable collection of data about nutrient profiling and the use of symbols or other marketing strategies, such as nutrition and health claims or marketing aimed at children.
CLAS tools have been developed within various national and European research and infrastructure projects. Funding of the CLAS is assured until at least 2033, making this ifrastructure an excelent choice for long-term collection of data on branded foods across the worlds. Non-profit use is available for governmental agencies and research organisations.
Acknowledgement of key programs and projects:
Project description:
The CLAS infrastructure is detaily described in: Pravst et al. 2022. Frontiers in nutrition. 2022, 8, DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.798576.
The Nutrition Institute started establishing the CLAS (Composition and Labelling Information System) program in 2015, for collection of data on pre-packaged foods on the market in Slovenia. A database and the CLAS - Composition and Labelling Information System application were created, which enables the collection of photographs of food labelling, their evaluation using OCR technology and the processing of food composition and labelling data. After the test period of use, the new software tool was put into regular use in 2016 and was also used for furter food data collections. The following data on prepacked foods is collected within CLAS:
- photographs of food labelling;
- data on the nutritional value of the foods;
- data on ingredients, including data on the use of additives, vitamins and minerals;
- data on allergens;
- data on symbols, nutrition and health claims.
Contact point
Are you interested in using the CLAS infrastructure in your country? Contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
FNS Cloud promotional video on collection of branded food data and the CLAS tools
References
A selection of publications that have been created within the research project:
- PRAVST, Igor, HRIBAR, Maša, ŽMITEK, Katja, BLAŽICA, Bojan, KOROUŠIĆ-SELJAK, Barbara, KUŠAR, Anita. Branded foods databases as a tool to support nutrition research and monitoring of the food supply : insights from the Slovenian composition and labeling information system. Frontiers in nutrition. 2022, vol. 8, art. 798576, 16 str., ilustr. ISSN 2296-861X. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.798576/full, DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.798576.
- KRUŠIČ, Sanja, HRIBAR, Maša, HAFNER, Edvina, ŽMITEK, Katja, PRAVST, Igor. Use of branded food composition databases for the exploitation of food fortification practices : a case study on vitamin D in the Slovenian food supply. Frontiers in nutrition. 4 Jan. 2022, vol. 8, article 775163, str. 1-12. ISSN 2296-861X. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.775163/full, DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.775163.
- HAFNER, Edvina, LAVRIŠA, Živa, HRIBAR, Maša, KRUŠIČ, Sanja, KUŠAR, Anita, ŽMITEK, Katja, SKRT, Mihaela, POKLAR ULRIH, Nataša, PRAVST, Igor. Verifying the use of food labelling data for compiling branded food databases : a case study of sugars in beverages. Frontiers in nutrition. 3 Feb. 2022, vol. 9, article 794468, str. 1-10. ISSN 2296-861X. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.794468/full, DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.794468
- BLAZNIK, Urška, KRUŠIČ, Sanja, HRIBAR, Maša, KUŠAR, Anita, ŽMITEK, Katja, PRAVST, Igor. Use of food additive titanium dioxide (E171) before the introduction of regulatory restrictions due to concern for genotoxicity. Foods. Aug. 2021, vol. 10, iss. 8, str. 1-10, ilustr. ISSN 2304-8158. https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/8/1910, DOI: 10.3390/foods10081910.
- HAFNER, Edvina, PRAVST, Igor. The sharp rise in the use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners in non-alcoholic beverages in Slovenia : an update based on 2020 data. Frontiers in nutrition. 19 Nov. 2021, vol. 8, str. 1-9. ISSN 2296-861X. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.778178/full, DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.778178.
- MIKLAVEC, Krista, HRIBAR, Maša, KUŠAR, Anita, PRAVST, Igor. Heart images on food labels : a health claim or not?. Foods. Feb. 2021, vol. 10, iss. 3, str. 643-1-643-16, ilustr. ISSN 2304-8158. https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/3/643,
- LAVRIŠA, Živa, HRIBAR, Maša, KUŠAR, Anita, ŽMITEK, Katja, PRAVST, Igor. Nutritional composition of gluten-free labelled foods in the Slovenian food supply. V: PRAVST, Igor (ur.), et al. Food and public health : food supply, marketing and consumers. Basel: MDPI, 2020. Vol. 17, iss. 21, str. 1-13. International journal of environmental research and public health, vol. 17. ISSN 1660-4601. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8239,
- HAFNER, Edvina, HRIBAR, Maša, HRISTOV, Hristo, KUŠAR, Anita, ŽMITEK, Katja, ROE, Mark, PRAVST, Igor. Trends in the use of low and no-calorie sweeteners in non-alcoholic beverages in Slovenia. Foods. Feb. 2021, vol. 10, iss. 2, str. 387-1-387-12, ilustr. ISSN 2304-8158. https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/2/387,
- LAVRIŠA, Živa, HRISTOV, Hristo, KELLY, Bridget, PRAVST, Igor. Regulating children's exposure to food marketing on television : are the restrictions during children's programmes enough?. Appetite. 2020, vol. 154, 8 str., ilustr. ISSN 0195-6663.
- DUNFORD, Elizabeth K., NI MHURCHU, Cliona, HUANG, Liping, VANDEVIJVERE, Stefanie, SWINBURN, Boyd, PRAVST, Igor, TOLENTINO-MAYO, Lizbeth, REYES, Marcela, L'ABBE, Mary, NEAL, Bruce C., KUŠAR, Anita (sodelavec pri raziskavi), ŽMITEK, Katja (sodelavec pri raziskavi), HRIBAR, Maša (sodelavec pri raziskavi), LAVRIŠA, Živa (sodelavec pri raziskavi), PIVK KUPIROVIČ, Urška (sodelavec pri raziskavi), et al. A comparison of the healthiness of packaged foods and beverages from 12 countries using the Health Star Rating nutrient profiling system, 2013-2018. Obesity reviews. 2019, vol. 20, iss. s2, str. 107-115, ilustr. ISSN 1467-7881. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12879,
- ZUPANIČ, Nina, HRIBAR, Maša, FIDLER MIS, Nataša, PRAVST, Igor. Free sugar content in pre-packaged products : does voluntary product reformulation work in practice?. Nutrients. 25 Oct. 2019, vol. 11, iss. 11, str. 1-14, ilustr. ISSN 2072-6643. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/11/2577,
- HODGKINS, Charo E., EGAN, Bernadette M., PEACOCK, Matthew, KLEPACZ, Naomi, MIKLAVEC, Krista, PRAVST, Igor, POHAR, Jurij, GRACIA, Azucena, GROEPPEL-KLEIN, Andrea, RAYNER, Mike, RAATS, Monique. Understanding how consumers categorise health related claims on foods : a consumer-derived typology of health-related claims. Nutrients. 2 Mar. 2019, vol. 11, iss. 3, str.1-31, ilustr. ISSN 2072-6643. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/3/539,
- LAVRIŠA, Živa, PRAVST, Igor. Marketing of foods to children through food packaging is almost exclusively linked to unhealthy foods. Nutrients. 21 May 2019, vol. 11, iss. 5, str. 1-11, ilustr. ISSN 2072-6643. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/5/1128,
- ABRAMOVIČ, Helena, VIDRIH, Rajko, ZLATIĆ, Emil, KOKALJ, Doris, SCHREINER, Matthias, ŽMITEK, Katja, KUŠAR, Anita, PRAVST, Igor. Trans fatty acids in margarines and shortenings in the food supply in Slovenia. Journal of food composition and analysis. Dec. 2018, vol. 74, str. 53-61. ISSN 0889-1575.
- ZUPANIČ, Nina, MIKLAVEC, Krista, KUŠAR, Anita, ŽMITEK, Katja, FIDLER MIS, Nataša, PRAVST, Igor, PIVK KUPIROVIČ, Urška (sodelavec pri raziskavi), LAVRIŠA, Živa (sodelavec pri raziskavi). Total and free sugar content of pre-packaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages in Slovenia. Nutrients. 30 Jan. 2018, vol. 10, iss. 2, str. 1-16, ilustr. ISSN 2072-6643. http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/2/151,
- ZUPANIČ, Nina, HRIBAR, Maša, PIVK KUPIROVIČ, Urška, KUŠAR, Anita, ŽMITEK, Katja, PRAVST, Igor. Limiting trans fats in foods : use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in prepacked foods in Slovenia. Nutrients. 15 Mar. 2018, vol. 10, iss. 3, str. 1-9, ilustr. ISSN 2072-6643. http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/3/355
- PRAVST, Igor, LAVRIŠA, Živa, KUŠAR, Anita, MIKLAVEC, Krista, ŽMITEK, Katja. Changes in average sodium content of prepacked foods in Slovenia during 2011-2015. Nutrients. 29 Aug. 2017, vol. 9, iss. 9, str. 1-11, ilustr. ISSN 2072-6643. http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/9/952
- HIEKE, Sophie, CASCANETTE, Tamara, PRAVST, Igor, KAUR, Asha, TRIJP, Johannes Cornelia Maria van, VERBEKE, Wim, GRUNERT, Klaus G. The role of health-related claims and symbols in consumer behaviour : the CLYMBOL project. Agro food industry hi-tech. 2016, vol. 27, no. 3, str. 26-29. ISSN 1722-6996
- KAUR, Asha, SCARBOROUGH, P., HIEKE, Sophie, KUŠAR, Anita, PRAVST, Igor, RAATS, Monique, RAYNER, Mike. The nutritional quality of foods carrying health-related claims in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. European journal of clinical nutrition, 2016. URL: http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ejcn2016196a.html
- MIKLAVEC, Krista, PRAVST, Igor, RAATS, Monique, POHAR, Jurij. Front of package symbols as a tool to promote healthier food choices in Slovenia : accompanying explanatory claim can considerably influence the consumer's preferences. Food research international, 2016, 90: 235-243, URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996916305245
- KOROŠEC, Živa, PRAVST, Igor. Television food advertising to children in Slovenia : analyses using a large 12-month advertising dataset. International Journal of Public Health, 2016, URL: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00038-016-0896-7
- KAUR, Asha, SCARBOROUGH, P., HIEKE, Sophie, KUŠAR, Anita, PRAVST, Igor, RAATS, Monique, RAYNER, Mike. The nutritional quality of foods carrying health-related claims in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. European journal of clinical nutrition. 2016, vol. 70, iss. 1462, str. 1388-1395, preglednice. ISSN 0954-3007. https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn2016114,
- ŽMITEK, Katja, PRAVST, Igor. Iodisation of salt in Slovenia : increased availability of non-iodised salt in the food supply. Nutrients, 2016, 7(8). URL: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/7/434/htm
- DEBELJAK, Katarina, PRAVST, Igor, KOŠMELJ, Katarina, KAČ, Milica. ˝Healthier˝ and ˝less heathy˝ classifications according to three nutrient profiling systems relative to nutrition and health claims on food labels. Acta alimentaria : an International Journal of Food Science, 2015, 44 (4), 561-569, URL: http://akademiai.com/doi/abs/10.1556/066.2015.44.0028
- ERŽEN, Naja, RAYNER, Mike, PRAVST, Igor. A comparative evaluation of the use of a food composition database and nutrition declarations for nutrient profiling. Journal of food and nutrition research, 2015, 54 (2) 93-100. URL: http://www.vup.sk/download.php?bulID=1649
- PRAVST, Igor, KUŠAR, Anita. Consumers' exposure to nutrition and health claims on pre-packed foods : use of sales weighting for assessing the food supply in Slovenia. Nutrients, 2015, 7(11). URL: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/7/11/5474
- KOROŠEC, Živa, PRAVST, Igor. Assessing the average sodium content of prepacked foods with nutrition declarations : the importance of sales data. Nutrients, 2014, 9(6), 3501-3515. URL: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/9/3501
