Nutrition Labeling Using a Computer Software Program

A large portion of food analysis is performed for nutrition labeling purposes. The use of nutrient databases and computer programs designed for preparing and analyzing nutrition labels can be valuable to help meet regulatory requirements for labeling and to assist in product development process. Such a computer program also makes it possible to use information from a nutrition label to determine the formula for a product in a process called “reverse engineering.” This chapter covers the use of a computer program to prepare a nutrition label for a yogurt formula, determine how formulation changes will affect the nutrition label, and observe an example of reverse engineering.