Confidence level
Where the data on an ingredient sheet comes from and how reliable it is.
What it is
Some ingredient sheets carry a confidence level that tells you where their data comes from and how reliable it is. It's the transparent way to show you how solid each value is, without hiding it.
The four levels
High
Data from verifiable official sources:
- USDA SR-Legacy (United States Department of Agriculture).
- BEDCA (Spanish Food Composition Database).
- CIQUAL (the French reference).
- The manufacturer's technical sheet for the product.
About half of the catalog sits at this level.
Medium
Data from a manufacturer or recent publication without a cross-checked official source. Fine for general professional use; verify the specific values if the ingredient is central to your recipe.
Low
Data from a scientific publication or an AI estimate with no confirmed official source. Useful as a reference, but verify it before basing critical decisions on it (regulatory labeling, allergens communicated to a customer).
Extrapolated
Data estimated from similar ingredients or by inference when no direct source was found. Treat it as indicative and verify it with your own supplier before moving to production.
How it's identified on the sheet
When a sheet has been AI-enriched, the Nutrition Facts tab of the ingredient sheet shows a note indicating that the technical sheet has been AI-enriched, along with the corresponding confidence level.
The note shows the level in plain language — for example "Technical sheet AI-enriched · high confidence". Each visible text maps to one of the four levels on this page:
| Text on the sheet | Level |
|---|---|
| high confidence | High |
| medium confidence | Medium |
| low confidence | Low |
| extrapolated confidence | Extrapolated |
Not every sheet shows this note: it only appears on AI-enriched sheets. The rest comes directly from the catalog's official sources.
What to do with a medium or low level
- Compare it against your supplier's official technical sheet if you have one.
- Verify the specific value you're going to use for labeling or customer communication.
- If you work with that ingredient regularly, keep your verified data in your own catalog with Import and export.
Why this system exists
Because not every ingredient in the world has an official sheet, and as a professional chocolatier you can't wait for one to appear before you start working. The confidence level tells you clearly how well-backed each value is.