01
Ingredient contribution
Each ingredient contributes nutrients according to the quantity used and the selected food-composition profile, typically expressed per 100 g.
TRANSPARENT BY DESIGN
How KcalMap approaches recipe nutrition calculation.
KcalMap is built around a simple principle: the result should be traceable back to the recipe, the ingredient data and the production assumptions used to calculate it.
See the calculation workflow02
Recipe total
Ingredient contributions are summed to produce nutrient totals for the complete recipe before a serving basis is applied.
03
Finished yield
Measured final yield is used to describe the prepared recipe. Weight change and nutrient retention are treated as separate concepts.
Ingredient-level calculation
For a nutrient reported per 100 g, the contribution of an ingredient is calculated from the amount used in the recipe. The selected food record should represent the ingredient form as closely as practical, including raw or cooked state, edible portion and branded formulation where those differences are material.
Ingredient contribution = ingredient grams × nutrient value per 100 g ÷ 100
Recipe totals and finished yield
Ingredient contributions are summed to create the recipe nutrient total. The finished usable recipe weight is then recorded separately. This is important because cooking may change weight through water or fat gain/loss without producing the same percentage change in every nutrient.
Where retention factors are used, they should be applied deliberately and kept separate from the yield calculation. FAO/INFOODS guidance similarly distinguishes yield factors from nutrient-retention factors.
Per 100 g and per serving
Nutrient per 100 g = total recipe nutrient ÷ finished recipe weight × 100
Nutrient per serving = total recipe nutrient ÷ number of servings
If a serving is defined by gram weight, the serving result can also be derived from the finished-food per-100 g value. The serving definition should match the portion used in operation.
Missing values and source quality
A missing nutrient value is not automatically a zero. KcalMap’s data model is intended to keep source and completeness information visible so a reviewer can distinguish an analysed zero from a nutrient that is unavailable or not reported in the selected record.
Food-composition databases differ in sampling, analytical methods, update frequency and intended use. Source selection is therefore part of the calculation method, not merely a lookup step.
What calculated nutrition can and cannot establish
Recipe calculation is an estimation method based on the ingredient data and production information supplied. It is not the same as laboratory analysis of a representative sample. Regulatory acceptance, certification and programme-logo approval remain separate processes governed by the relevant authority.
KcalMap is designed to make calculated results easier to review and document. It does not replace professional judgment, laboratory analysis where required, or authority approval.