Report on recipe calculation procedures for composite foods

Introduction

Here is a report on the collection of rules on use of recipe calculation procedures including the use of yield and retention factors for inputting nutrient values for composite foods.

This document describes rules that should be taken into account when calculating recipes, including the importance of “weight yield” and “nutrient retention” factors in the assessments of nutrient intake, especially when consumed as cooked or prepared meals. Problems with these factors are discussed as well as potential solutions, and harmonised approaches proposed.

The harmonisation of recipe calculation procedures provides recommendations, based on current scientific literature, for:

• Use and selection of nutrient retention factors.
• Application of weight yields at the recipe level.
• Inclusion of nutrient retention factors at the ingredient level.

In addition, examples demonstrating the use of these factors, and special cases for the calculation of recipes, are provided.

Key words

Yield factor: what is retained in weight after food treatment. Retention factor: what is retained in nutrient content after food treatment. Ingredient level: when yield factor is applied separately to the weight of each ingredient or when retention factor is applied separately to nutrient content of each ingredient. Recipe level: when yield factor is applied to the whole weight of a dish or retention factor is applied to the total nutrient content of a dish. Edible portion: edible material remaining after the inedible waste has been trimmed away.

Report

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