2023 NCC Food and Nutrient Database Updates
Plant-based milk alternative products (PBMAs) updated. The following varieties of PBMAs are included in NDSR 2023: almond, cashew, coconut, flax seed, hazelnut, hemp, oat, pistachio, plant-based, rice, soy, and walnut. They are in the MILK hierarchy as milk substitutes (non-dairy/imitation). In addition to updating the generic varieties, we added a brand name listing of over 230 brand name milk substitutes. The following product lines are represented: Almond Breeze, Better Than Milk, Califia Farms, Chobani, Dream products, Earth’s Own, EdenSoy, Elmhurst, Good Karma, MALK, Oatly!, Orgain, Pacific Foods, Planet Oat, Ripple, Silk, So Delicious, Tempt, Three Trees, Vita Coco, WestSoy, and Store Brand (e.g. Great Value, Simple Truth). All of the milk substitutes (non-dairy/imitation), including brands, are available as variable ingredient options for foods that may be prepared with milk.
Updates to coconut milk were also carried out and the culinary (canned, typically used in cooking) option is now separate from the ready-to-drink options. These foods are included as variable ingredient options for foods prepared with milk as well. While we do not offer brands for culinary coconut milks, many ready-to-drink brands are included in the brand name listing for milk substitutes (non-dairy/imitation).
NCC continued to add new foods including foods unique to various eating traditions with a focus on Korean foods. A list is available that includes most foods unique to various eating traditions available in NDSR 2023.
A few of the many new foods added include:
Banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich)
Bibimbap (Korean rice with meat and vegetables)
Bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef)
Cauliflower pizza crust
Dragon fruit
Drunken noodles
Falafel sandwich
Ginger tea
Korean Gochujang vinaigrette
Masala dosa (Indian pancake with potato filling)
Poke bowl (raw tuna and rice bowl)
Pomelo
Pork belly
Shave ice
Store brand (e.g. Great Value) ready-to-eat cereals
Fast food restaurants updated: Jack-in-the-Box, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s, and Sonic. Note: Boston Market was removed from the database because a relatively small number of restaurants remain and there are foods in NDSR that are the same or similar to menu items available at Boston Market.
Commercial entrée product lines updated: Amy’s, Banquet, Dinty Moore, Healthy Choice, Hormel, and Nestle’s Croissant and Hot Pockets.
Other brand name categories updated include energy drinks and nutrient-enhanced vitamin waters; Girl Scout cookies; mayonnaise; miscellaneous dessert snacks; ready-to-eat cereals for Arrowhead Mills, Bear Naked, Malt-O-Meal, and Mom’s Best Cereals; salad dressings prepared from dry mixes; shortening; Similac infant formulas; snack foods including corn nuts, fried pork rinds, onion flavored rings, Gardetto’s snack mixes, and Jolly Time and Pop-Secret popcorn; and whipped toppings.
Updates to non-brand food categories include bacon bits; bottled waters; coffee creamers; and peanut butter. Additionally, gluten free, keto, and sugar free options were added to chocolate, white, and yellow cake mixes.
Updated foods to align with the now fully implemented ban on use of partially hydrogenated oils in foods in the U.S. marketplace. This involved updating over 600 foods from categories such as cookies, crackers, fats, and snacks.
Updates from FNDDS 2019-2020 categories of eggs; dry beans, peas, other legumes, nuts, and seeds; fats, oils, and salad dressings; and fruits were integrated.
Updates from USDA’s Food Data Central Foundation Foods for almond, oat, and soy milks, and peanut butter were integrated.
NDSR 2023 Program Updates
Header field for Gender changed to Sex. This change was made to better describe the response options of ‘male’ and ‘female’ needed to inform the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), which are defined by sex assigned at birth and age. The ‘Sex’ field does not require a response unless selected as required in the Method Preferences. We have also changed the third response option from ‘Unspecified’ to ‘Other/Prefer Not to Answer’. These changes are reflected in all reports and output file headers.
User Manual download now defaults to the Bookmark view for easier navigation to chapters and appendices.
A couple major behind-the-scenes updates were made, including updating to the latest version of the programming language NDSR relies on. We have carried out rigorous testing of these updates, but please reach out to NCC at ndsrhelp@umn.edu if you run into any unexpected issues.