INTRODUCTION

The Ingredients screen allows the user to create and modify the ingredients that are used when creating recipes. Each ingredient is set with a unique nutrient composition, which, in turn, is used to calculate the total nutrient composition of the recipes that use them.  Information for a number of pre-defined ingredients, which are categorized in the ‘Source’ field as “USDA,” are defined by the USDA directly.  Ingredients can also be created manually, separate from those provided by the USDA – these are categorized as a “Local” Source.  

CREATING A NEW INGREDIENT

Before an ingredient can be used in a recipe, it must be created. Follow these steps to create a new ingredient:  

1. Navigate to: Meal Planning > Ingredients.  Click “Add New” to create a new ingredient, or click “Search” to locate an existing ingredient.  To edit and ingredient that is displayed in the search results, click on the pencil to the left of the ingredient. When searching for an ingredient, the search may be filtered by entering information in the fields provided.

2. When adding a new ingredient, enter/select the appropriate values for all required fields.  Any fields labeled with a * are required.  By default, the new ingredient record is associated to the “Local” source type.  See below for a definition of each field:  

• Description: This field displays the full name of the ingredient as it will be displayed on search results and reports. USDA-supplied ingredients will supply a description, which cannot be modified  
• User Description: This field displays a shortened name for the ingredient, which can be used when searching for specific ingredients using the search tool  
• Product Code: A unique code, supplied by the manufacturer, to identify the item  
• Category: This drop-down list displays all the active ingredient categories that are set up (Setup > Meal Planning > Ingredient Categories).  Select the appropriate category for the ingredient being entered  
• GDSN Category:  This is a GS1 standard of the GDSN which many of the USDA commodities may start utilizing. 
• Recipe/Commodity Code: If the current item is also a recipe or commodity item, enter the recipe or commodity code in this field  
• Brand: This field displays the name of the brand that is produced as the current ingredient  
• Brand Owner:  The name of the entity which owns the brand.  
• GTIN UPC:  The encoded number associated with the Global Trade Item Number  
• Source:  The drop-down menu to toggle between a local or a USDA source  
• Form of Food: This field displays the ingredient's stored quality, such as "raw", "cooked", or "packaged  
• Nutrient Source: This field displays the name of the source from which the ingredient's nutrients were received, such as "USDA" or "Local".   
• Select a Screen to Add this Item: When utilizing the Inventory module in eTrition 7, this field allows the user to also add the ingredient as an Inventory item by selecting “Add to Inventory”   

3. Ingredients that use weight measurements other than grams, such as Fluid Ounces (FL OZ) will need conversions to grams, which are used to determine the nutrient composition based on the measure entered. When creating a new weight and measure, the specified Amount of the new measure is equivalent to the specified Gram Weight.  For example, 50 FL OZ is equivalent to 100 Grams. Click the “Add New Weight” button to create a new measurement for the ingredient.  On the screen that opens, fill in the fields, as needed, then click “Save.”  See below for a definition of each field.

• Description: This field displays the measure's name, such as FL OZ. This field will be displayed in the Measure drop-down list when adding an ingredient to a recipe on the Recipes screen.  
• Amount: This field displays the amount of the current measure that is equivalent to the entered Gram Weight  
• Gram/ML Weight: This field displays the number of grams or millimeters (for volume) that is equivalent to the entered Amount of the current measure.  
• Enter the Ingredient’s base weight and select measurement for the weight, such as “Gram”, “Pound” or “Ounce,” in the “Nutrients” section. This field and drop-down list is used to determine the ingredient's nutrient composition per 100 grams. When entering a base weight (in grams, ounces, or pounds, or ml as selected from the drop-down list), any nutrient amount entered will be calculated in the Per 100 Grams column as a function of the Base Weight, converted to grams (if necessary), and then divided by 100.  In the Nutrients table, enter the amount for each nutrient that exists in the ingredient.  If a nutrient has a daily value supplied by the USDA, this can be entered in the “% Daily Value” column to calculate the Amount for each nutrient automatically (Vitamin A (IU), Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron have “% Daily Value” information supplied by the USDA).  Alternatively, the Amount can also be entered manually to calculate the “% Daily Value”:   

4. Once all fields have been selected/entered, click “Save”  

5. If this ingredient is ready to be used on a new Recipe, click the “Create Recipe” option or if it is a single item recipe it can be created with the click of a button. Simply assign the recipe to a category, set an optional recipe code, and save (see the “Adding a Recipe” section of this document for further information).  

6. When utilizing the Inventory module in eTrition 7, ingredients can also be linked to specific Inventory items, as needed. To link the Ingredient to an Inventory Item, click the “Link” button, then search for the desired Inventory Item, using the fields provided:

7. Click the “Search” button to bring up linkable inventory items.  

8. On the “Select Items” screen, click the green “map” icon to the left of the Inventory Item that should be linked: