Anomalies in database
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mclaughlinjanette
Posts: 2 Member
Hi there, thanks for letting me join. My name is Janette and I have just started using MFP. On entering some of my ingredients I have noticed some anomalies, ie Carrots raw 129g = 41 c
and just below Carrots raw 100g = 44 c.
Sorry if this is a dumb question but if someone could explain this to me I would be much obliged
Thanks
and just below Carrots raw 100g = 44 c.
Sorry if this is a dumb question but if someone could explain this to me I would be much obliged
Thanks
0
Replies
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This is a known issue. Most of the database was entered by users over the last 15 years, so there's an element of human error, as well as inconsistency - you'll notice some entries don't report any macro/micronutrients, or there's a typo, or there's 50 options for serving size and they're all wild and sometimes they give you some REALLY wrong-looking numbers. Combined with the fact that nutrition facts are reported differently in different countries, and the US recently (2019) updated how they report nutrition facts, the database is kind of a mess in some places. There's no real QA to speak of up top (or at least, UA wasn't interested in that kind of moderation; the site just got sold to someone else, so maybe they'll put someone in charge of the database, but don't hold your breath), so we as users need to be diligent about checking the entries to make sure they're accurate until someone up top starts giving a flying fish about it. Here's some tips:
- Use entries per 100g or per 1g whenever possible, and weigh everything. Volumetric measures (cups and spoons) are OK for liquids, but solids should be measured by mass (grams/oz).
- For whole foods, like fresh fruit and vegetables, raw meat, uncooked rice/grains or beans/legumes, check the MFP entry against the USDA - literally Google "usda nutrition facts carrot" or whatever and Google will bring up a nutrition facts card for carrots. Weigh meats raw and note whether you're including bones and/or skin.
- For packaged/processed foods, like dried pasta, baked goods, lunchmeats and cheese, chips and cookies, etc., refer to the nutrition facts label on the package in your hand and make sure the MFP entry matches.
- If you scan the barcode, all that is doing is searching the database without you having to type it in; it's not downloading the information from anywhere, and that barcode may have been used for another food - if you shop at a place like Aldi, where most of their goods are private-label/"house brand" but definitely made on the same factory line as the name brand, half the time the barcode will bring up the name-brand entry (which is probably fine tbh). Or the nutrition facts for that food may have changed since the entry was put in - companies occasionally change up their recipe or serving size, so what was true about this bread 10 years ago may not still be true, and like I said, nobody's watching the database and updating the entries when that happens.
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Thank for taking the time to answer my query, it does make sense and I will be more diligent when making choices . 😊0
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Anyone have an opinion on this https://world.openfoodfacts.org/ ? It would be nice to have a single database to which everyone contributes, however I only just took a look at the above, so not sure how good it is either.0
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