5 musts for menu labeling

Menu labeling compliance guidelines

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1. Establish precise recipes as protocol. This is the foundation of an accurate nutrient analysis. Sub- and plated recipes must include exact measurements, detailed descriptions of ingredients (e.g., “ground, 97-percent lean turkey breast”), brand names of ingredients and corresponding nutrition information per 100 grams, and specific preparation methods (e.g., fried, marinated, sautéed).

If all of this information is not stated in the recipe and followed precisely by the cooking staff the nutrition information of the dish will be inaccurate. For instance, if no salt is included in the recipe but if a pinch of salt is added to the menu item before it is served to the guest, the sodium content will be understated by 100-200 mg or more.

If several such instances occur on one plate then the nutrient information for the menu item as served to the customer can be grossly understated. This variance will diminish the public health benefit of menu labeling, will likely be unacceptable to consumers and may destroy brand loyalty.

2. Invest in dietitians with expertise. Calculating accurate nutrition information for complex recipes and preparation procedures takes a great deal of expertise in nutrition, dietetics and food science, as well as a thorough understanding of the unique aspects of foodservice. The dietitians will need to understand the effects of evaporation, absorption, cooking methods and other processes on the nutrient values and apply formulas to compensate for those processes. A quality control and review system to double and triple check accuracy is also important.

3. Ensure a high-quality, accurate database with your restaurant’s product specs. Although there are many nutrition analysis software programs — some even included in POS systems — many programs don’t have accurate values for all ingredients. Genesis, from Salem, Ore.-based ESHA, is generally considered the time-tested standard of nutrition analysis software systems. However, it is important to gather all product labels and add them to the database. Many brands vary in nutrient information, especially sodium, so it’s important to make sure you are using accurate product information for your analysis.

4. Train staff to adhere to recipe protocol. After establishing a precise recipe as your foundation and an expert team of dietitians to perform the analysis on a high-quality database system, it is equally important to train the cooking and wait staff to meticulously prepare and serve the menu item exactly as the recipe states.

5. Keep nutrition information up-to-date and accurate. It is important to develop and implement a rigorous operational system to keep the information accurate over time. You will need a reporting mechanism for recipe changes that starts with the chef/culinary department updating the recipes, notifying the dietitian responsible for updating the nutrition information, training the cooking staff and then notifying the marketing department to update the menus, brochures, website and other materials that include nutrition information.

If restaurants fail to develop a rigid system then the reported nutrition information will not be accurate. It is usually very difficult and time-consuming to go back and figure out what has or has not been updated, so restaurants will benefit by having a system in place from the beginning.

Healthy Dining’s team of registered dietitians offers expert nutrient analysis, accuracy validation and consultation in menu labeling compliance.  

Contact Anita Jones-Mueller, M.P.H., president of Healthy Dining, at anita@healthydiningfinder.com.