Data Sources & Traceability
Understand where PlateBreaker’s nutritional information comes from and how to trace it back to authoritative sources.
Overview
Section titled “Overview”PlateBreaker prioritizes transparency and data quality. All nutritional information comes from established, authoritative sources that you can verify yourself.
Primary Data Sources
Section titled “Primary Data Sources”USDA FoodData Central
Section titled “USDA FoodData Central”What it is:
- Official nutritional database from the US Department of Agriculture
- Most comprehensive food composition database available
- Freely accessible to the public
- Regularly updated with new foods and data
What we use it for:
- Ingredient nutritional profiles
- Foundation Foods (whole, unprocessed foods)
- SR Legacy Foods (Standard Reference)
- Branded Foods (packaged products with labels)
Access it yourself:
- USDA FoodData Central
- Search by food name or FDC ID
- Download complete database
- View analytical methods and sources
Recipe Metadata (Schema.org)
Section titled “Recipe Metadata (Schema.org)”What it is:
- Structured recipe data from cooking websites
- Standard format for recipe information
- Embedded in web pages by recipe creators
- Includes basic nutritional estimates
What we use it for:
- Recipe discovery and import
- Ingredient lists from web recipes
- Cooking instructions (not displayed in-app, links provided)
- Basic nutrition data (validated against USDA)
How it works:
- Recipe sites publish structured data
- We extract recipe information
- Match ingredients to USDA database
- Calculate precise nutrition from USDA data
Nutrition Authority Guidelines
Section titled “Nutrition Authority Guidelines”What they are:
- Official dietary recommendations from health authorities
- Based on extensive scientific research
- Published by government health agencies
- Peer-reviewed and evidence-based
Which authorities:
- NASEM (US and Canada)
- NHMRC (Australia and New Zealand)
- EFSA (European Union)
- NNR (Nordic Countries)
What we use them for:
- Daily nutrient targets (RDA, AI)
- Upper safety limits (UL)
- Life stage adjustments
- Population-specific recommendations
Access them yourself: See Nutrition Authorities for links
USDA Nutrient Retention Factors
Section titled “USDA Nutrient Retention Factors”What it is:
- Scientific data on nutrient changes during cooking
- Percentage of nutrients retained after cooking
- Specific to cooking methods (boiling, baking, frying, etc.)
- Based on food composition research
What we use it for:
- Adjusting raw ingredient nutrition for cooked recipes
- Accounting for nutrient losses in preparation
- More accurate final recipe nutrition
Source:
- USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6
- USDA ARS Nutrient Data Laboratory
How We Process Data
Section titled “How We Process Data”From Recipe to Nutrition
Section titled “From Recipe to Nutrition”Step 1: Recipe Source
- Recipe obtained from trusted cooking websites
- Structured data (Schema.org/Recipe) extracted
- Original source always preserved and linked
Step 2: Ingredient Matching
- Each ingredient mapped to USDA FoodData Central
- Prioritize Foundation Foods for whole ingredients
- Use specific varieties when available (e.g., “Granny Smith apple” not just “apple”)
- Manual review for accuracy
Step 3: Quantity Normalization
- Convert recipe amounts (cups, tablespoons) to grams
- Use USDA conversion factors
- Account for preparation (chopped, diced, etc.)
Step 4: Cooking Adjustments
- Apply USDA retention factors based on cooking method
- Account for nutrient losses (water-soluble vitamins in boiling)
- Adjust for nutrient concentration (water evaporation)
Step 5: Aggregation
- Sum all ingredient contributions
- Calculate per-serving nutrition
- Validate totals for reasonableness
Step 6: Quality Check
- Flag incomplete data
- Verify nutrient ratios make sense
- Mark recipes needing review
Tracing Nutritional Information
Section titled “Tracing Nutritional Information”For Recipes
Section titled “For Recipes”View Source Data:
- Open any recipe detail page
- Scroll to “Nutrition Information” section
- Click “View Data Sources”
- See:
- Original recipe URL
- USDA FDC IDs for each ingredient
- Cooking methods and retention factors applied
- Data completeness indicator
What You’ll Find:
- Link to original recipe website
- List of all ingredients with USDA FDC IDs
- Cooking method (if retention factors applied)
- Date of last nutrition update
- Completeness percentage (how many nutrients have data)
For Ingredients
Section titled “For Ingredients”View USDA Data:
- Click on any ingredient in a recipe
- See ingredient detail panel
- Click “View in USDA Database”
- Opens USDA FoodData Central page
What You’ll Find at USDA:
- Complete nutrient profile (all nutrients)
- Data source and analytical methods
- Sample information
- Confidence intervals (when available)
- Related foods
For Your Targets
Section titled “For Your Targets”View Authority Sources:
- Go to Settings → Nutrition Targets
- Click on any nutrient target
- See “Source” indicator
- Click for authority documentation
What You’ll Find:
- Which authority provided the target
- Population group (age, sex, life stage)
- Type of recommendation (RDA, AI, UL)
- Link to official authority publication
- Scientific rationale (in authority documents)
Data Quality Indicators
Section titled “Data Quality Indicators”Completeness Markers
Section titled “Completeness Markers”Green Check (Complete):
- All 113 tracked nutrients have data
- High confidence in accuracy
- Multiple independent sources confirm
Yellow Warning (Mostly Complete):
- 50-112 tracked nutrients have data
- Core nutrients (macros, common micros) present
- Some specialized nutrients missing
Red Flag (Incomplete):
- Fewer than 50 tracked nutrients have data
- Basic nutrition only (calories, macros)
- Limited micronutrient information
What Missing Data Means:
- We don’t guess or estimate
- Nutrients without data show as “unknown”
- Recipe still usable, but less complete
- Consider alternative recipes for better data
Data Freshness
Section titled “Data Freshness”Recently Updated (within 6 months):
- Latest USDA data incorporated
- Authority guidelines current
- Cooking factors verified
Needs Review (over 6 months):
- Scheduled for re-validation
- May have newer USDA data available
- Still usable, but check for updates
Source Priority
Section titled “Source Priority”When multiple sources exist, we prioritize:
- Foundation Foods (USDA): Lab-analyzed whole foods
- SR Legacy (USDA): Historical Standard Reference database
- Branded Foods (USDA): Manufacturer nutrition labels
- User Custom: Your manually entered data
Data Limitations
Section titled “Data Limitations”What We Track
Section titled “What We Track”PlateBreaker tracks 262 viewable nutrients, with 113 used for recommendations:
- All essential nutrients
- Common non-essential nutrients
- Beneficial phytonutrients
- Nutrients to minimize (saturated fat, added sugar, sodium)
What We Don’t Track
Section titled “What We Don’t Track”Antinutrients:
- Phytic acid (reduces mineral absorption)
- Oxalates (affects calcium absorption)
- Lectins (in legumes)
- Tannins (in tea, coffee)
Contaminants:
- Heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium)
- Pesticide residues
- Microplastics
- Environmental pollutants
Bioactive Compounds:
- Most polyphenols (some tracked)
- Specialized phytonutrients
- Prebiotics and probiotics
- Digestive enzymes
Why Not?:
- Not in USDA database
- Highly variable (processing, storage)
- Insufficient scientific consensus
- Too complex to standardize
Variability Factors
Section titled “Variability Factors”Actual nutrient content varies by:
- Growing conditions: Soil, climate, farming practices
- Variety: Different cultivars have different nutrition
- Freshness: Nutrients degrade over time
- Storage: Temperature and duration affect nutrients
- Preparation: Cooking method, duration, temperature
- Season: Seasonal variations in produce
What This Means:
- Database values are averages
- Your actual intake may vary ±20%
- Trends matter more than daily precision
- Overall patterns more important than exact numbers
Verification and Updates
Section titled “Verification and Updates”Our Data Process
Section titled “Our Data Process”Quarterly USDA Updates:
- Download latest FoodData Central release
- Review changed entries
- Update affected recipes
- Re-validate ingredient mappings
Annual Authority Reviews:
- Check for updated dietary guidelines
- Incorporate new recommendations
- Update target calculations
- Notify users of significant changes
Continuous Quality Checks:
- Automated validation of new data
- User-reported errors reviewed
- Expert nutritionist oversight
- Community feedback integration
User Contributions
Section titled “User Contributions”Report Data Issues:
- Found incorrect information?
- Suspect a mismatch?
- Notice missing data?
- Submit correction request
We Investigate:
- Verify against USDA source
- Check for updated data
- Correct errors promptly
- Credit reporters
Your Custom Data
Section titled “Your Custom Data”Custom Recipes
Section titled “Custom Recipes”When you create recipes:
- Your ingredient selections saved
- USDA matches preserved
- Calculations documented
- Full traceability maintained
Custom Ingredients
Section titled “Custom Ingredients”When USDA lacks an ingredient:
- You can manually enter nutrition
- Source of data should be documented
- Marked as “user-provided”
- Your data, your responsibility
Best Practices:
- Use nutrition labels when available
- Cite source of data
- Be conservative with estimates
- Update if better data found
Transparency Commitment
Section titled “Transparency Commitment”What We Promise
Section titled “What We Promise”- No Hidden Algorithms: Calculations based on established science
- Source Attribution: Always credit data sources
- Regular Updates: Keep data current
- User Access: You can verify everything
What You Can Do
Section titled “What You Can Do”- Verify any ingredient against USDA
- Check authority recommendations yourself
- Export your data anytime
- Audit our sources
- Report discrepancies
What We Don’t Do
Section titled “What We Don’t Do”- Estimate unknown nutrients
- Hide data sources
- Use proprietary databases without citation
- Make unverifiable claims
Learning More
Section titled “Learning More”Explore the Sources
Section titled “Explore the Sources”USDA FoodData Central:
Nutrition Authorities:
- See Nutrition Authorities for all authority links
Nutrient Retention:
Questions?
Section titled “Questions?”- Check our FAQ
- Contact support with specific questions
- Join community discussions
- Request new features