Nutrition Data Sources

MealStack's food nutrition database includes data sourced from publicly available food composition databases including, but not limited to:

USDA FoodData Central: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. The most comprehensive food composition database globally, covering thousands of foods with detailed nutrient profiles.
IFCT (Indian Food Composition Tables): Published by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Covers Indian foods with region-specific nutrient data.
INDB (Indian Nutrient Database): Published by ICMR-NIN. Provides updated nutrient values for commonly consumed Indian foods.
Practitioner-added custom foods and recipes: Nutrition professionals may add custom food entries and recipes with their own nutrient data.
Open Food Facts: Branded product nutrition data accessed via external lookup. Data is community-sourced and provided under the Open Database License (ODbL). When practitioners add branded products via barcode lookup, the data is saved as a custom food entry in their practice. openfoodfacts.org

Accuracy Disclaimer

While we strive to maintain accurate and up-to-date nutrition information, MealStack does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any nutrition data provided through the Platform. Nutrient values may vary due to:

Food preparation and cooking methods
Regional and seasonal variations in food composition
Brand-specific differences in packaged foods
Soil conditions, farming practices, and storage methods
Rounding and estimation in source databases
Data entry errors in source databases or during import

Practitioners are responsible for verifying nutrition information before using it in client meal plans. The nutrition data provided is a reference tool and should not be the sole basis for clinical decisions.

Data Verification

MealStack performs automated source-level verification of imported nutrition data. Our audit system compares every nutrient value in the database against the original source files (IFCT CDN, INDB Excel, USDA downloads) to detect any drift or import errors. As of the last audit:

IFCT 2017: 542/542 foods, 100% match with CDN source
INDB 2024: 1,014/1,014 foods, 100% match with source Excel
35 INDB recipes had energy values corrected using Atwater factors (4P + 4C + 9F) where the original source data had internal inconsistencies

Practitioners can report suspected data inaccuracies via the food detail panel in the app, or by contacting support.

Not Medical Advice

Meal plans and nutrition information generated through MealStack are intended for informational and educational purposes only. They do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users and their clients should always consult qualified healthcare providers before making changes to their diet, especially if they have medical conditions, allergies, or are taking medication.

AI-Generated Content

When AI features are used, meal suggestions and food recommendations are generated by artificial intelligence models. AI-generated content is based on the nutrition data described above and may contain errors or inappropriate suggestions. All AI-generated content is provided as drafts for practitioner review and must be verified before being applied to client plans.

Attribution

We acknowledge and thank the following organizations for making their food composition data publicly available:

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. USDA FoodData Central
Indian Council of Medical Research. National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN)
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad
Open Food Facts: Community food products database (openfoodfacts.org), licensed under ODbL

MealStack is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any of these organizations.

Contact

For questions about our nutrition data or to report data inaccuracies, contact us at support@mealstack.io.

Food Data & Nutrition Disclaimer