Answers · Updated

How to use USDA FoodData Central data for a Nutrition Facts panel

Short answer

To draft a Nutrition Facts panel from USDA FoodData Central, take the per 100 g composition of each ingredient record, weight it by the grams of that ingredient in your recipe, adjust for water loss or gain in processing, and scale the result to the serving size from 21 CFR 101.12. The declared values then follow the rounding and compliance rules in 21 CFR 101.9, which FDA enforces against analysed values, so database figures are a starting point rather than a substitute for lab testing where accuracy matters.

Step by step

  • Resolve each ingredient to one FoodData Central record and keep its fdcId, data type and publication date.
  • Read the composition per 100 g for each record; a missing nutrient is unknown, not zero.
  • Multiply by the recipe grams of each ingredient and sum, then correct for moisture change in cooking or baking.
  • Scale to the serving size (reference amounts customarily consumed, 21 CFR 101.12).
  • Apply the rounding and percent Daily Value rules of 21 CFR 101.9 and have the result reviewed.

Why accuracy still needs care

Under 21 CFR 101.9(g), FDA checks declared values against laboratory analysis of the product: for example, naturally occurring nutrients such as protein or fiber must be at least 80 percent of the declared value, while calories, sugars, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium must not exceed 120 percent of it. Ingredient database values can drift from your actual raw materials, which is why the source record should travel with every number.

fmcg.network does not compute the US panel or its rounding. It supplies the register values and their provenance so the panel can be built and checked.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use FoodData Central values on a Nutrition Facts label?
You can use them to calculate a draft, but the declared values must meet 21 CFR 101.9, and FDA verifies compliance by analysing the product. Many manufacturers confirm database calculations with laboratory analysis before printing.
Which FoodData Central data type should I use for ingredients?
Foundation Foods and SR Legacy describe generic foods with documented values; Branded Foods describes one manufacturer's product. For a generic ingredient a Foundation or SR Legacy record is usually the better match, and the record should be named in your calculation file.
How do I account for cooking losses?
Weigh the batch before and after processing and adjust the summed composition for the water lost or gained, so per 100 g values refer to the finished food rather than the raw mix.

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