How BiteCal nutrition reference pages are built

BiteCal reference pages identify their food, preparation, serving basis and data source. Historical USDA values are labeled as historical, restaurant panels identify their document date, and unconfirmed menu items do not receive invented nutrition totals.

Evidence and what it can establish

Evidence	Useful for	Limit
Current product label	Exact branded serving	May not describe another market or formula
USDA historical record	Defined generic reference food	Not a current branded label
Dated restaurant PDF	Listed standard menu portion	Not every current customization
Photo estimate	Starting a meal log	Does not measure hidden ingredients
Hypothetical example	Explaining arithmetic	Not a tested product result

Food identity comes before the panel

A food name can describe several records: raw or cooked, drained or undrained, edible meat or shell-on seafood, dry mix or prepared dish. Reference pages should show enough detail to distinguish those cases. A familiar name alone does not prove the selected food matches your meal.

USDA reference values

The saved food references use exact FoodData Central record identifiers and a stated dataset release. SR Legacy values are historical reference data; they do not prove that a current branded product has the same formula. A current exact product label is the preferred reference for that product.

Energy uses the kcal value rather than substituting a kilojoule figure. Nutrient units remain explicit. Missing source values are shown as not reported instead of being silently filled with zeros.

Restaurant nutrition and document age

A restaurant panel should preserve the exact item, serving definition and source date. One entire pizza cannot be relabeled as one slice, and a standard meal does not automatically describe a customized order.

A document linked by a current restaurant site may still contain an older date. Our articles identify that age instead of calling every linked PDF a 2026 menu. When an exact named item cannot be confirmed, the record is marked unverified and no exact current calorie claim is published.

Calculated portions and examples

Portion tables scale a source value proportionally: source nutrients × portion grams ÷ source grams. A calculated half portion is not a separately measured serving. Examples using hypothetical recipes or prices must say they are illustrative.

For mixed meals, the best reference can be the ingredient list and finished batch yield. Photo estimates do not replace those stronger known facts when available.

Editorial checks and corrections

Editorial checks examine record identity, units, arithmetic, missing values and source boundaries. They do not establish that every page has independent medical or registered-dietitian review. App comparison articles distinguish product descriptions from observed tests and avoid publishing invented rankings or prices.

If you find a discrepancy, retain the page address and the exact product label or source that shows the difference. A correction should address the underlying record and portion basis so related calculations remain consistent.