When it comes to calculating the nutritional information of a restaurant menu, there are really only two heavy-weights in the ring: laboratory testing and database analysis. Both are accepted by the FDA as reasonable methods of evaluation and both deliver all the information that will be required by the new menu labeling bill. However, nutritional databases are becoming an increasingly popular option due to their ease of use, accuracy, and affordability. While laboratories can be a valuable option for exotic or highly processed items, it appears that databases have the leg up in the foodservice industry.
A laboratory analysis requires 10-12 food samples to be prepared and shipped to a facility for testing. According the FDA cost analysis for menu labeling, the cost to prepare one menu item is $5. Taking an average of 11 samples, this leads to a total of $55. The FDA also estimates another $100 to ship the food in a temperature-controlled package to the laboratory facility. The analysis of the item itself then costs an average of $495, leading to a final bill of $650 for one menu item. The turnaround varies from company to company, but is generally measured in weeks to months. Laboratory testing is very accurate, but doesn’t lend itself well to changes to the recipe or ingredient suppliers because any tweaks would require re-testing.
Analysis with a nutritional database requires recipes and product information to be sent to the company with the software, but no food samples are required (unless you want to feed the hungry nutritionists). According to the same FDA cost report, the price for analyzing one item with a nutritional database can range from $25 for a do-it-yourself program to $100 if it’s being done on an hourly basis by a registered dietitian. The turnaround on a recipe can be very quick; in a matter of hours or days depending on the complexity of the menu item. Changes in formulations or suppliers can easily be accounted for with just a key stroke, without having to completely reanalyze the menu item. It’s easy to see why nutritional databases are becoming such a powerful option for those in the foodservice industry looking to have their menu analyzed.
