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How To Standardize Nutrition Data for Prepackaged Items

  • Updated

If you're working with prepackaged items that include a nutrition label such as sandwiches, salads, or boxed meals, you'll need to convert that data into a 100-gram portion and enter it into reciProfity as a Custom Nutrition Code.

For background on why the USDA uses 100-gram standardization and how reciProfity handles conversions, see: How To Standardize Nutrition Data Using USDA Guidelines

This article focuses specifically on how to apply that process to prepackaged items using an example.

 

Step 1: Convert the Nutrition Facts to 100-Gram Portions

Start by identifying the serving size in grams from the product’s packaging. Then, for each nutrient:

  1. Divide the nutrient value by the serving size to get the amount per gram.
  2. Multiply the result by 100 to get the value per 100 grams.

Example: BLT Sandwich (140g serving size)

From the packaging label:

  • Calories: 447 / 140g = 3.19 per gram × 100 = 319.28 calories
  • Sodium: 1108 mg / 140g = 7.91 mg per gram × 100 = 791.43 mg
  • Carbohydrates: 27 g / 140g = 0.19 g per gram × 100 = 19.28 g

Repeat this process for each nutrient listed on the label.

 

Step 2: Create a Custom Nutrition Code

Create a new ingredient for the item (e.g., BLT Sandwich), then enter the converted 100-gram values into a Custom Nutrition Code.

To access the Custom Nutrition section:
Main Menu → Optimizer → Custom Nutrition

Enter the calculated values for calories, sodium, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. Save the custom code.

 

Step 3: Validate the Output

Open the BLT Sandwich ingredient in Edit mode. In the left sidebar, scroll to the Nutrient Codes field. Start typing the name of the custom nutrition code (e.g., “BLT Sandwich”).

  • Custom nutrition codes are marked with a green banner.
  • USDA codes are marked with an orange banner.
    BLT_NutrientCode menu.png

Add the BLT Sandwich as the sole ingredient in a Serving Recipe. The Nutrition section at the bottom of the recipe will display the calculated values. These values should match the original packaging label, confirming that the 100-gram conversion and custom nutrition code were entered correctly.

The image below shows:

  • Left panel: Nutrition label from the sandwich packaging (140g serving)
  • Middle panel: Custom Nutrition Code with 100g values
  • Right panel: Nutrition facts output from reciProfity’s Serving Recipe

BLT_nutrient facts.png

 

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