Can NDSR be used to assess nutrient intakes of individuals living outside the U.S.?

Researchers have used NDSR for studies in countries outside the U.S. Special procedures are recommended, because the nutrient composition values for foods in NDSR are based on U.S. foods.
 
Nutrient values for some food items may be representative of those available in other countries (e.g., nutrient content of an apple in the U.S. and an apple available in another country may be comparable). However, values are likely not comparable for many foods due to different food fortification practices across countries, use of different cultivars of plants, and differences in food ingredient and preparation practices. An additional issue is that some food descriptors vary across countries. For example, in the U.S. ‘biscuit’ refers to a fat-rich leavened baked good generally served with a meal. In contrast, in many other countries ‘bisquit’ refers to a sugar-sweetened baked good served as a snack or dessert.