USDA Added New Protein Data to FoodData Central: What Changed, and What Did Not

By Lew Kizer — 2026-11-01 — Health & Nutrition

A nutrition number can look permanent. The database behind it is not.

On October 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published FoodData Central Version 16.0. FoodData Central is USDA’s central public system for several kinds of food composition data. Researchers, software developers, dietitians, food businesses and consumers can use it, but the records do not all come from the same source or answer the same question.

What USDA changed on October 29

The Version 16.0 update log lists many Foundation Foods changes. These are two selected changes, not the whole release.

• New food profiles: USDA added records including amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat, chickpea, corn, khorasan, millet, oats, quinoa, sorghum, wheat and white rice products, with many entries covering puffed foods or pregelatinized flours.
• Added protein source data: nitrogen values used in protein calculation were added for 24 foods, including two baked bean entries, two bologna entries, three breads, ranch dressing, four packaged lunchmeats, two dry spaghetti entries, two refried bean entries, two shelf stable tortillas, mayonnaise, peanut butter, pepperoni, hard salami, Italian dressing and sweetened condensed milk.

The same log entry also lists other added nutrient values, including total fat, total starch, sugars, dietary fiber, several vitamins, choline, amino acid profiles and fatty acid profiles for various foods. The release also includes the normal monthly Branded Foods additions and updates.

Why “nitrogen” appears beside protein

USDA’s Foundation Foods documentation explains that protein values are calculated from total nitrogen using a food specific nitrogen to protein conversion factor when one is available. A default factor of 6.25 is used when a specific factor is not available.

That does not mean protein is guessed from a meal’s name. Foundation Foods includes analytical data and supporting metadata such as samples, acquisition details and methods. USDA also notes that some nutrients have not yet been analyzed for every food and may be added later.

FoodData Central contains different kinds of records

Before copying a number, identify the record type. USDA’s data type documentation compares them.

• Foundation Foods uses USDA analytical data and exposes information about individual samples and variability.
• Branded Foods comes from manufacturer provided label information.
• FNDDS supports foods reported in national dietary surveys.
• SR Legacy preserves the final historic Standard Reference release.

A chicken breast record from Foundation Foods and a branded packaged chicken entrée may both contain the word “chicken,” but they are not interchangeable product specifications.

Why a database value may change

Food composition varies by sample, location, season, processing, method and time. USDA’s FoodData Central FAQ describes its nutrient values as a “snapshot in time” that may change over time.

Small changes can also come from calculation and rounding. Foundation Foods stores source values such as nitrogen and applies conversion factors; a serving value may then be calculated from a value per 100 grams. USDA warns that small rounding errors can occur.

A revised database value therefore is not proof that a farmer, manufacturer or kitchen changed a recipe. It may reflect new sampling, analysis, metadata, calculations or a corrected record.

What the update does not change automatically

1. It does not rewrite every food label. FDA guidance says manufacturers are responsible for the validity of their stated nutrient values, and the source of the data used to calculate label values is the manufacturer’s prerogative.
2. It does not identify the portion you ate. USDA values are often presented per 100 grams. The weight and option still matter.
3. It does not prove two similarly named products are equivalent. Ingredients, preparation, water loss, sauce and serving size can change the result.
4. It does not establish a personal target. A protein number describes food. It does not prescribe how much a specific person should eat.
5. It does not establish what SmashMeals used to calculate an item. This public update does not disclose SmashMeals’ recipe database or laboratory process.

How to use nutrition numbers when ordering SmashMeals

For a SmashMeals order, start with the exact current selection rather than a generic ingredient search.

1. Open the live item and selected option.
2. Match the posted portion and any protein, side, sauce or dressing choice.
3. Use only the nutrition fields actually displayed for that selection.
4. Treat missing protein, fiber, sodium, serving weight or allergen information as unknown, not zero.
5. Use the package label when it supplies more current meal specific information.
6. If a required detail is unclear, ask about the exact item before ordering.

SmashMeals can make a planned meal easier. It cannot turn a generic USDA record into a product specific number or an individualized nutrition prescription. Read the SmashMeals nutrition information guide, review how ordering works, then browse the current menu.

Editorial note

This is a dated explainer of an official USDA database release, not a peer reviewed medical breakthrough. The update does not show that SmashMeals changed any recipe or label. Read our editorial policy.

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