Overview
The Production section of the Base Recipe allows you to account for changes that occur during manufacturing, processing, or cooking.
These adjustments help ensure that nutrition calculations reflect the finished product rather than the ingredients before processing.
The Production section includes:
- Moisture Loss (%)
- Fat Gain
- Fat Loss
- Total Yield
- Specific Gravity
Not all production values affect labeling calculations in the same way.
| Setting | Purpose | Affects Nutrition Labeling |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture Loss | Accounts for moisture lost during cooking or processing | Yes |
| Fat Gain | Accounts for fat absorbed during cooking | Yes |
| Fat Loss | Accounts for fat lost during cooking | Yes |
| Total Yield | Accounts for product lost during processing | No |
| Specific Gravity | Used for volume-to-weight calculations | Depends on use case |
Important: This article focuses on the settings that affect nutrition labeling calculations.
Understanding Moisture Loss
Moisture Loss represents water that evaporates during cooking or processing.
Entering moisture loss helps ensure nutrition information accurately reflects the finished product.
Why Moisture Loss Matters
When water leaves a product:
- Product weight decreases
- Nutrients remain
- Nutrients become more concentrated per serving
As a result, some nutrient values may increase on a per-serving basis.
Example
| Measurement | Before Cooking | After Cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Product Weight | 100 g | 68 g |
| Fat | 4 g | 4 g |
| Water | 40 g | 8 g |
| Water Lost During Cooking | 0 g | 32 g |
| Serving Size | 28 g | 28 g |
| Fat per Serving | 1.1 g | 1.6 g |
| Water per Serving | 11 g | 3 g |
Key Takeaway
Understanding Fat Gain
Fat Gain represents additional fat absorbed during cooking.
This commonly occurs when foods are fried or cooked in oil.
Why Fat Gain Matters
When fat is added:
- Product weight increases
- Total fat increases
- Calories increase
- Other nutrients become slightly diluted on a per-serving basis
Example
| Measurement | Before Cooking | After Cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Product Weight | 100 g | 104 g |
| Fat | 4 g | 8 g |
| Vitamin C | 20 g | 20 g |
| Calories | 200 | 236 |
| Fat Added During Cooking | 0 g | 4 g |
| Serving Size | 28 g | 28 g |
| Fat per Serving | 1.1 g | 2.1 g |
| Vitamin C per Serving | 5.6 g | 5.3 g |
| Calories per Serving | 56 | 63 |
Key Takeaway
Additional Considerations
Keep the following in mind when estimating Fat Gain:
- Actual fat absorption varies by product.
- The type of cooking fat can affect results.
- Cooking time and temperature can affect results.
- Formula Management cannot calculate all possible cooking scenarios.
Because of these variables, enter the Fat Gain percentage using your best available estimate.
Tip: Fat gain is usually accompanied by moisture loss. Consider entering both values when appropriate.
When Moisture Loss and Fat Gain Are Similar
If moisture loss and fat gain percentages are entered at similar levels:
- Most nutrients will show only minor changes.
- Fat values will be more noticeably affected.
- Calories will be more noticeably affected.
Understanding Fat Loss
Fat Loss represents fat removed from a product during processing or cooking.
Fat Loss is the opposite of Fat Gain.
Important Notes
- You can enter both Moisture Loss and Fat Loss.
- You cannot enter both Fat Gain and Fat Loss.
- Fat Loss calculations should be considered estimates unless your fat-loss values are well established.
Why Fat Loss Matters
When fat is removed:
- Total fat decreases.
- Calories decrease.
- Other nutrients become more concentrated relative to the product weight.
Example
| Measurement | Before Cooking | After Cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Product Weight | 100 g | 98 g |
| Fat | 4 g | 2 g |
| Vitamin C | 20 g | 20 g |
| Calories | 200 | 182 |
| Serving Size | 28 g | 28 g |
| Fat per Serving | 1.1 g | 0.57 g |
| Vitamin C per Serving | 5.6 g | 5.7 g |
| Calories per Serving | 56 | 52 |
Key Takeaway
Understanding Total Yield
Total Yield represents the amount of finished product remaining after processing.
For example, if 10% of a batch is lost during production because of breakage, trimming, or waste, the Total Yield is 90%.
Example
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting Dough | 100 kg |
| Product Lost During Production | 10 kg |
| Finished Product | 90 kg |
| Total Yield | 90% |
Key Takeaway
Total Yield is primarily used for production planning and costing.
Note: Total Yield does not affect serving size calculations or nutrition labeling values.