MFP Nutrition Database w/incorrect info

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iJiVE
iJiVE Posts: 20
in Food and Nutrition
Sometimes I'll go to log in a food that isn't in the database. Alot of the food I get comes from NY based grocery stores such as Stop N Shop, Pathmark, King Kullen, etc... Sometimes I'll find products that don't even have nutrition information. So if there is a food you come across that isn't in MFP, please take a moment to fill out the nutrition information properly so we can all log it in to the best of our ability. I know I've come across alot of stuff I had to put in, so the effort is much appreciated. Also, BE CAREFUL - if there is a number of items describing the same thing & has totally different information! MFP - is there anyway we can delete the incorrect items permanently?

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I have been hearing for a year that they are trying to clean up the database. I guess it's really hard because it is so large.
    It does bug me when there is only calories. I guess some people think if you don't see it, it doesn't count. :drinker:
  • Tskitzo
    Tskitzo Posts: 42
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    Maybe they should have some of us as volunteers to help clear out the mess.
  • gorgeouss9
    gorgeouss9 Posts: 221
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    Also, BE CAREFUL - if there is a number of items describing the same thing & has totally different information! MFP - is there anyway we can delete the incorrect items permanently?

    ^^this is why I never log in food w/o making sure that the information matches what's on the packaging I have. If its a specific type of food that I don't have nutritional value for, I do a google search and compare the nutritional value from this site against other websites. And honestly, this website has the best database- i've tried caloriecount.com (very wrong info on that site!), livingstrong.com, this one beats them all.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    If you see something wrong you can fix it that way it wont be wrong for the next person. Most items in the DB are entered by users so there can easily be user error.
  • alleyrat
    alleyrat Posts: 43
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    I often check if the info looks wrong. I have come across Kj (Kilojoules) entered as calories, the wrong size entered and numerous other mistakes so I correct them as I go and leave a note as to why I have edited it. It does annoy me when there are multiple entries for the same thing and one or two of them are patently wrong. Its like someone does a whole new entry rather than correct wrong information. Maybe if they had a button to flag double ups?
  • nickyrobinson
    nickyrobinson Posts: 161 Member
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    Foursquare has a nice system for flagging venues in their database as a duplicate. And they do use that info to clean up their database because I see the duplicates disappear within a few weeks.
  • AnarchoGen
    AnarchoGen Posts: 400 Member
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    I correct what I can. Simple things such as carrots, which are high in potassium, and the mg for the potassium aren't even on there! It's like most of them only care about are calories, they don't even enter in the other important information. People who get too much or too little potassium and not even know it- can seriously damage themselves.
    When it asks me if it's accurate, I hit the NO button, change the information and guess what? NOT one frickin thing I changed is on there, it's so frustrating.
  • gorgeouss9
    gorgeouss9 Posts: 221
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    I correct what I can. Simple things such as carrots, which are high in potassium, and the mg for the potassium aren't even on there! It's like most of them only care about are calories, they don't even enter in the other important information. People who get too much or too little potassium and not even know it- can seriously damage themselves.
    When it asks me if it's accurate, I hit the NO button, change the information and guess what? NOT one frickin thing I changed is on there, it's so frustrating.

    same goes for dairy.. once i put in yogurt (or milk) and it had no calcium %! lol
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Garbage in, Garbage out
  • runningathena
    runningathena Posts: 218 Member
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    I've started using my phone app more and scanning the foods that have bar codes - makes it much easier (and less ambiguous) than searching every time! However, trying to fix stuff that's already posted is an exercise in futility. I hope they get that fixed someday!
  • RedHotRunner
    RedHotRunner Posts: 850 Member
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    Some items vary by region. A yogurt sold in Canada might have 5 or 10 fewer calories and a gram or two more of protein then a yogurt sold in the USA

    You'll find many items like this that have been verified by a number of people, but differ from what you're reading on the label.

    I don't know why mfgs do that. Maybe they use different suppliers in different parts of the country.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,821 Member
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    It will get better with the bar code scanner usage. And you can say that something is not correct, hopefully that is a flag for them to check it out.
  • IndianCat3
    IndianCat3 Posts: 158 Member
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    I've started using my phone app more and scanning the foods that have bar codes - makes it much easier (and less ambiguous) than searching every time! However, trying to fix stuff that's already posted is an exercise in futility. I hope they get that fixed someday!





    I too use the scanner..
  • YogaPrincess1
    YogaPrincess1 Posts: 5
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    I do the same thing, use my iphone app to scan bar codes. It's so easy!!
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    For a while the olive oil I was using for my food diary had no fat listed...just calories. Took me a few days to spot that
  • Becca_007
    Becca_007 Posts: 596 Member
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    Errors in the MFP Database????? No Way!! I have never seen ANY when I've used it.:noway: Perhaps you're mistaken:flowerforyou:
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Some items vary by region. A yogurt sold in Canada might have 5 or 10 fewer calories and a gram or two more of protein then a yogurt sold in the USA

    You'll find many items like this that have been verified by a number of people, but differ from what you're reading on the label.

    I don't know why mfgs do that. Maybe they use different suppliers in different parts of the country.

    Variation is understandable, but I've seen entries for a 5oz steak that has 5g of protein, 9g of fat, and that's it. Way way off on those numbers and what the heck is the other 125g? It's not all water!
  • mslady11
    mslady11 Posts: 2
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    For those who use the scanner you might want to double check your information as well. I really don't know how it works but some of the numbers are off sometimes. I use the scanner on my android and always look at the numbers before I add and have caught quite of few that were different for the nutrition label and the product.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,375 Member
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    I just recently realized I could fix things on the database. Something I ate last week was entered in the database with 1/3 of the calories it actually had and the fat was off. I've corrected spelling, too. I am offended that people can't spell chocolate! :smile:

    That's good to know about the scanner on the androids. Thanks, mslady!

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