16 Using Genesis Software to Generate Nutrition Facts Panels

Generating a Nutrition Facts Panel is a great way to analyze the macronutrient, micronutrient, and calorie content of your new food product. The Genesis software program (and any other Nutrition Facts Panel program) is only as good as the information that is inputted, so it is important to pay attention to detail and be as accurate as possible on ingredient composition, moisture change, and possibly fat change.

Helpful Resources for Nutrition Facts Panels

• FDA Standard Reference Sizes are important to know when setting a serving size for your product. A serving needs to be within the range of 50-200% of the Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC)^[1]. More details are included in the 21 CFR 101.9(b)(2)(i).
• FDA Requirements for Nutrient Content Claims are important if you want to make nutrient content claims on your product package. It is often not just about the nutrient, but also about the ingredients and overall nutritional profile of the food.

Using Genesis

Adding Ingredients

• Look through your ingredient list and check out the Genesis ingredient database. Any ingredients in your product that are not in the database will need to be added into Genesis before you start building your product in the system.
• Start a new ingredient. Name the ingredient specific enough (possibly including a brand or company name) so you can find it later. Then input the weight (quantity) of the ingredient based on the nutritional information you have. If the nutritional information is from a specification sheet, the weight is typically 100 grams. This is not the weight of the ingredient in your product. 
• Next click on the Nutrient tab and input all of the information you have. Carefully scroll through all of the inputs including vitamins and minerals.
  • Make sure Total Sugar and Added Sugar are both inputted if applicable (needed for the new Nutrition Facts Panel).
  • Add the Fiber content in both prompts (one is for the old Nutrition Facts Panel and the other is for the new version).
  • Add water content. This is the total weight of the ingredient minus the macronutrients.
• When you are done inputting the ingredient components, click “Check Data”. All but the fat content should be green confirming that macronutrients have been added correctly. Make corrections as necessary. Click Save before adding another ingredient or starting a new recipe.

Starting a New Recipe

• Start a new recipe or formula. Save the recipe with an identifiable name to find in the database.
• Include a serving size based on your product weight and the RACC.
• Search for ingredients and choose options that are closest to the ingredients you are using. Then add the amount of each ingredient in grams.
• Adjust yield for moisture, fat, and/or batch loss by clicking “Edit Yields”. Input losses in grams, not percent.
• If moisture and/or fat has been gained through steaming, cooking, or frying, water and/or oil will need to be added to the recipe as ingredients with amounts added in grams.
• Next, check your inputs by clicking “Reports” and then “Spreadsheet”. This spreadsheet will show all the ingredients in your product per serving. Scroll through the nutrients to make sure all are reasonable and there are no glaring mistakes or missing nutrients.
• Return to the recipe and click “View Label” to generate your product’s Nutrition Facts Panel.
• Use the “Edit Label” feature to make adjustments to the label and add in the serving size information.
• Review the results
  • Often all allergens are assumed by default, but that does not mean your product somehow contains all eight major allergens. Please edit accordingly.
  • Serving sizes may need to be modified, especially if a nutrient content goal was not reached.
  • Only use the updated Nutrition Facts Panel label format if all ingredients include added sugars and have fiber content based on the updated guidelines.
• Once the Nutrition Facts Panel has been reviewed, it can be exported by right-clicking on the image and choosing export as image to file, and saving the image as a png or jpeg file. Do not screenshot the Nutrition Facts Panel because image resolution will be lost.

Key Reminders

• If the Nutrition Facts Panel does not make sense, something is wrong. Check the ingredients and your numbers.
• Take into consideration what happens through processing, whenever possible, as much as possible.