Harmonisation of recipe calculation procedures in European food composition databases

Within EuroFIR, the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) project, the European Network of Excellence on Food Composition Databank systems, a standard recipe calculation procedure has been developed for use with European food composition databases. This project reviewed the most commonly used recipe calculation procedures together with the examples of recipe calculation procedures used by European databases. The review showed that the most commonly used method was a procedure that applies a yield factor for weight at the recipe level and retention factors for nutrient values at the ingredient level. This commonly used procedure was selected as the recommended EuroFIR recipe calculation procedure. The benefits of harmonised recipe calculation procedures include improved quality, availability and compatibility of food composition data through the documentation of the recipe ingredients, the recipe calculation procedures, yield factors and retention factors.