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NIS Service

We calculate your Nutritional Label from your product recipe

  1. Register your details
  2. Complete & Submit Recipe form (s)
  3. We'll send you your compliant label files

Once we have received your recipe template and confirmed we have all the information we need, we will request payment from you via an email link and we will process your nutrition data.

Please download and complete you recipe template and then register (or log in) and attach your recipe template.

Download recipe template(s)

All of our food label nutrition data meets the new EU food label regulations.

Pricing

Our service is a 10 working day turnaround – the charge is £50 (+VAT) per product in a single order for up to 5 products. For 6 or more products in a single order the charge is £40 (+VAT) per product.

Additional Services

Traffic Light – Front of Pack

We can produce your traffic light label (currently not a regulated requirement but if produced on pack there are regulations), for front of packaging as an additional service. The cost is £10 per recipe. You will be asked if you require this additional service when you complete your recipe template. Just mark an x on the product recipe template/s (see guidance instructions) that you need the traffic lights information for. Don’t forget to tell us if you need your traffic light for a specific portion size otherwise we will calculate to 100 grammes.

Voluntary Nutritional Ingredients

There are four ingredients which are voluntary and not obligatory but some retailers request these. We therefore supply these details (Starch, Fibre, Monounsaturates and Polyunsaturates) within your final image of your label. The voluntary nutritional values are clearly shown as non compulsory so you can choose to exclude these if you are short of space on packaging but be aware some retailer listings require these.

Frequently Asked Questions

These frequently asked questions relate to our original NIS Service

What information do I need to provide?
We will need a list of all your ingredients, and how much of each. We will need to know your cooking method and also any weight losses involved, which means we know just how much water your product has lost during cooking or processing. If you throw away any of your product before packaging, for example scum or residue you will need to let us know the amount of that too. See the example template we provide on the web site. If you have any concerns please just email us at nis@quadram.ac.uk
Are there instructions on how to fill out the recipe template?
We have provided a sheet explaining the basics of filling in the recipe template. Download template instructions [PDF document] If you have any concerns please just email us at nis@quadram.ac.uk.
Do I need to provide any other information than just my recipe?
We will use our databases to find the nutritional composition of each of your ingredients before we calculate your product nutritional information, however in the very rare cases of you using an ingredient not included in our database we may get back to you to see if you can provide the details of your supplier so we can find the composition of that ingredient. If that is impossible chemical analysis may be necessary.
How accurate is the data?
The data is accurate and checked based on the ingredient information you give us. There is always some variation associated with food composition data but Trading Standards and DEFRA (the Government Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs) accept that data from McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods can legally be used for producing nutrition labels.
Who is your service for?
Anyone who requires nutrition information may use our service, including small and medium sized food producers and suppliers. We have developed the service to support small businesses.
Is my recipe safe with you?
Yes, absolutely, we promise to never share your recipe and ingredients with anyone else. Our terms and conditions include our confidentiality undertaking.
Can you provide other nutrient composition information?
Our service includes the seven compulsory nutrition elements and additional four voluntary nutrition label elements (starch, fibre, monounsaturates, polyunsaturates).
I would like to find out more information about the labelling requirements, where should I look?
Details of the requirements can be found in a guide produced by Food and Drink Europe which can be downloaded from http://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/uploads/press-releases_documents/FDE_Guidance_WEB1.pdf.
What nutrition information is required by the regulations?
You will need values for energy (kcal and kJ), fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt. We will provide you with this information with our calculation service.
Can I have access to the food composition database?
We use authoritative sources of composition data, including McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods. The McCance and Widdowson data can be downloaded free from the UK Government’s website. However, please note that we use many other databases and industry information to provide accurate data for your recipes. In order to calculate nutritional labels, carbohydrate, protein and energy values must be recalculated for labelling purposes and information on that can be found on p18-20 of the McCance and Widdowson User guide.
I produce milk and creams, do I need a nutritional calculation?
For milk it is possible to use the generic data for milks given in the dataset providing that you know you are producing ‘standard’ milk with fat contents close to the average. If you already have information on the specific fat content of your products you could use those values and use the generic values for other components. The carbohydrate, protein and energy values must be calculated slightly differently for labelling purposes and information on that can be found on p18-20 of the McCance and Widdowson User guide.
Is there any difference in nutrition labelling for organic and non-organic produce?
In our McCance and Widdowson dataset there is no distinction made between organic and non-organic foods.
I produce dried herbs and spices, do I need to provide nutrition information?
There are exemptions from the declaration which include: ‘A herb, a spice or mixtures thereof’ and also ‘unprocessed products that comprise a single ingredient or category of ingredients’. Please contact us and we can help with your declaration.
What if I produce a food stuff that is used as an ingredient in a recipe within the home?
It is possible to calculate your nutritional information based on the product itself and also the product as it would be included when made into a recipe. The regulations state that ‘Where appropriate, the information may, in addition and/or instead and where appropriate, relate to the food after preparation, under the condition that:
  1. a) Sufficiently detailed preparation instructions are given b) The information relates to the food as prepared for consumption.
What if calculation is not possible?
It is possible that your ingredients and preparation methods mean that nutrient content based on calculation from ingredients is not appropriate and then direct laboratory analysis would be necessary. In the unlikely event we can’t calculate your nutritional information, we will inform you and advise you accordingly.
Can you help me with allergen information?
Currently our service is for nutrition labelling only. There is a guide downloadable from the Food Standards Agency website which will help you with allergen information required.
Can you help me with health claims and portion sizes?
No, sorry, currently our service is for nutrition labelling only

Terms of Service

Here you'll find all the official documents you need in regards to our service

T: 01603 255350

E: nis@quadram.ac.uk