**CHILD NUTRITION DATABASE**

**VERSION CN13**

**SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND FILE FORMATS**

**CHILD NUTRITION DATABASE**

**(CN-D)**

**VERSION CN13**

**SYSTEM COMPONENTS**

**CN Coding Data Base**

Food Description File **(FDES)**

Food Category Name File **(CTGNME)**

Food Include File **(FINCL)^4^**

Gram Weights and Measure Descriptions File **(WGHT)^1^**

Food Subcode File **(FSUBCOD)^4^**

Food Subcode Description File **(FSUBDES)^4^**

**CN Nutrient Data Base**

Nutrient Values File **(NUTVAL)**

Nutrient Description File **(NUTDES)**

**Other Files^2^**

Food Buying Guide File **(BUYGD)^3^**

Food Buying Guide Link File **(BYGDLNK)^3^**

Data Quality Control Table for Food Industry Items **(DQC)**

**^1^**Release 8 was presented with a new table structure for the GMWT
and MDES data. CN8 adopted a format similar to the WEIGHT table
structure used in the Standard Reference 15 Weight table. This table
structure was adopted because it is an effective way to combine the
weight and measure description information, and because it makes for a
more efficient way to incorporate Standard Reference data in the CN
Database. In order to implement this change in the CN Database, the MDES
table was removed and the data from the MDES table was added to the GMWT
table. This combined GMWT and MDES table was renamed the WEIGHT table to
follow the Standard Reference naming convention.

**^2^**The MSFTCHG File was marked as discontinued in CN10 and has been
removed from CN11.

**^3^**CN8 included an updated Food Buying Guide File which reflects the
changes made in the November 2001, Revised *Food Buying Guide for Child
Nutrition Programs* (Program aid 1331).

**^4^**The FINCL, FSUBCOD, and FSUBDES Files have been marked as
discontinued in CN13 and will be removed in CN14

**CHILD NUTRITION DATABASE**

**(CN-D)**

**[SYSTEM COMPONENTS]{.underline}**

The data files described in this document are designed and developed for
nutritional analysis in the USDA Child Nutrition Programs.

The file formats include the name of each field, followed by the type of
field (N=numeric, A=alphanumeric, and D=date), the field length
including decimals, and an \* (asterisk) symbol to indicate that a field
is indexed, followed by the field description. The indexes are
identified in this document to display the order of records within the
Agricultural Research Service data base system. The files described here
are released in ASCII format and, therefore, do not have indexes. Fields
are separated by caret symbols (\^), except for alphanumeric fields,
which are denoted by tilde (\~) symbols.

Eleven files were released in the CN13 version. The abbreviated file
names are FDES, CTGNME, FINCL, WEIGHTS, FSUBCOD, FSUBDES, NUTVAL,
NUTDES, BUYGD, BYGDLNK, and DQC. The CTGNME file contains descriptions
for food categories assigned to foods in the FDES and BUYGD files. The
DQC file contains the results of the nutrient data quality control field
used to identify the nutrient information available for each item.

For CN13, the FINCL, FSUBCOD, and FSUBDES files are being marked as
discontinued. These files will be removed in CN14.

As of CN9, the nutrient unit for gram listed in the NUTDES Table has
been changed from GM to g.

**Discontinued Items**

Each release contains revisions made to information included in the
previous CN files. The status field in the FDES, FINCL, WEIGHTS, NUTVAL,
BUYGD AND BYGDLNK files should be checked against the previous CN
release since some records have been discontinued in these CN files. The
records that were marked as discontinued in the previous CN release have
been removed from this CN release. ***Please be advised that all
discontinued records indicated by status = \"d\" found in this CN
release will be removed in the next CN release.*** All discontinued
records should then also be deleted from the system files.

Clarification of CN Database Items with Status of "d"

The status field of the CN Database is intended to notify developers and
users of approved software that data, such as food items used in recipes
and menus will no longer be included in the next release of the CN
Database and to provide users with ample time to replace the data. The
status field shows which food items and other data, such as weights and
measures, are active as designated by an "a" and which food items are
being discontinued and designated by a "d". The contractor managing the
CN Database will not remove data marked with a "d" until the next
release. Software developers must ensure that software programs do not
interfere with this alert mechanism intended to inform the end users
when data will no longer be available. **The data marked with "d" should
not be removed from the program's database until it is physically
removed from the CN Database with the next release.** Ideally, software
developers should have a system in the program for alerting the user
about foods marked with "d", such as a warning message or report.

**[Comments and Notes for CN13 Release]{.underline}**

**CN13 Release:** A record with a date after 5/1/2008 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN13 release. A record with a date
after 5/1/2008 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN13 release. All products marked as
discontinued in CN12 have been removed from CN13 (79 products).
Duplicate Weight measures that were mistakenly added in CN12 have been
removed in CN13.

All items in the FINCL, FSUBCOD, and FSUBDES files have been marked as
discontinued for CN13. These three files will be removed completely in
CN14.

**Note for CN13:** All Standard Reference 21 updates have been applied
to the CN SREF products included in this release. 202 additional SREF
products have been added and 81 SREF products have been coded as
discontinued in this release.

**[CN CODING DATABASE]{.underline}**

The CN CODING DATA BASE contains information needed for coding foods and
amounts in the analysis of menus and recipes. For each food on the
database, there is a food identification code and a food category code,
a description of the food, a set of measures for the food, and gram
weights for those measures. Some codes may also have \"includes\" for
similar foods with comparable nutrient values and weights for the same
measure, such as specific brand items or species (e.g., fish). Some
codes may also have subcodes for foods with comparable nutrient values
but different weights for the same measure (e.g., different brands of an
ice cream bar may have a different weight). Product codes, manufacturer
names, brand/label names and brand/label codes are also identified for
commercially prepared foods sold for use in Child Nutrition Programs.

The CN CODING DATA BASE consists of six (6) files. They are the **FOOD
DESCRIPTION, FOOD INCLUDE, FOOD SUBCODE, FOOD SUBCODE DESCRIPTION,
WEIGHTS, and FOOD CATEGORY NAME** files.

Foods on the database are listed in one of three (3) descriptive
files**\--FOOD DESCRIPTION, FOOD INCLUDE, and FOOD SUBCODE
DESCRIPTION**. Placement of food in one of these files is dependent upon
whether nutrient profiles and weights for identical measures are
comparable or different. Because the user of the CN Database files will
not know which of these files a food is placed in, locating a food in
the CN CODING DATA BASE requires opening all three descriptive
files**\--FOOD DESCRIPTION, FOOD INCLUDE, FOOD SUBCODE DESCRIPTION.**

**FOOD DESCRIPTION (FDES)** file contains both a complete description
and an abbreviated description for a food in the CN Database. For
commercially prepared (brand) foods sold for use in Child Nutrition
Programs, the product code or UPC code and manufacturer name, associated
with the item, are listed.

**In CN11**, the Descriptor field was expanded from a 200 to a 255
character field.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **FOOD DESCRIPTION (FDES)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| **Field Name**            | # T        | # Description               |
|                           | ype/Length |                             |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Food Category Code        | N 2\*      | Classifies food into a      |
|                           |            | designated group            |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Descriptor                | A 255\*    | Item description            |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Abbreviated Descriptor    | A 60       | Abbreviated Item            |
|                           |            | description                 |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| CN Code                   | N 6        | CN Code used to link items  |
|                           |            | with the same food category |
|                           |            | and nutrient values.        |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Product Code              | A 15       | The item product code       |
|                           |            | defined by the manufacturer |
|                           |            | or the UPC code. The UPC    |
|                           |            | code is identified with the |
|                           |            | prefix 'UPC'.               |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Manufacturer Name         | A 80       | The manufacturer name       |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Recipe Code               | A 6        | Code for a standardized     |
|                           |            | recipe, listed on a recipe  |
|                           |            | card                        |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Source Code               | N 1        | Specifies source of         |
|                           |            | nutrient values-            |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | USDA Nutrient Data Base for |
|                           |            | Standard Reference (1),     |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | Standardized recipe         |
|                           |            | Calculation (2),            |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | Food industry (3),          |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | Commodity (4)               |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Date Added                | D          | The date that the food was  |
|                           |            | first placed in this file   |
|                           |            | (mm/dd/yyyy)                |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Last Modified             | D          | Date of last revision to    |
|                           |            | this record                 |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | (mm/dd/yyyy)                |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Status                    | A 1        | Active (a) or               |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | Discontinued (d)            |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+
| Form of Food              | A 12       | Designated only for brand   |
|                           |            | foods (foods with source    |
|                           |            | code                        |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | 3)---as purchased or as     |
|                           |            | served;                     |
|                           |            |                             |
|                           |            | (as purchased food requires |
|                           |            | preparation before serving; |
|                           |            | as served food does not     |
|                           |            | require add. prep)          |
+---------------------------+------------+-----------------------------+

**FOOD CATEGORY NAME (CTGNME)** file contains the codes and descriptions
for food categories assigned to foods in the FOOD DESCRIPTION and FOOD
BUYING GUIDE files.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **FOOD CATEGORY NAME (CTGNME)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+---------------------------+-----------+---+------------------------------+
| **Field Name**            | **Type    | # |                              |
|                           | /Length** |   |                              |
|                           |           | D |                              |
|                           |           | e |                              |
|                           |           | s |                              |
|                           |           | c |                              |
|                           |           | r |                              |
|                           |           | i |                              |
|                           |           | p |                              |
|                           |           | t |                              |
|                           |           | i |                              |
|                           |           | o |                              |
|                           |           | n |                              |
+---------------------------+-----------+---+------------------------------+
| Food Category Code        | N 2\*     |   | Code for classifying food    |
|                           |           |   | into a designated group      |
+---------------------------+-----------+---+------------------------------+
| Category Description      | A 100     |   | Description of food category |
|                           |           |   | grouping                     |
+---------------------------+-----------+---+------------------------------+
| Date Added                | D         |   | Date record was first placed |
|                           |           |   | into this file.              |
+---------------------------+-----------+---+------------------------------+
| Last Modified             | D         |   | Date of last record          |
|                           |           |   | revision.                    |
+---------------------------+-----------+---+------------------------------+
| Status                    | A 1       |   | Active (a) or                |
|                           |           |   |                              |
|                           |           |   | Discontinued (d)             |
+---------------------------+-----------+---+------------------------------+

**FOOD INCLUDE (FINCL)** file contains foods with similar nutrient
values to a particular food code in the FDES file. In addition to the
same or similar nutrient values, foods in the FINCL file also have the
same weights for measures as the linked CN code. For example, acorn,
butternut, hubbard and pumpkin squash are included with winter squash
because of their similar nutrient profiles and weights for the same
measures. Brand-name foods can also be includes. For example, several
brand-specific cheese pizzas may be includes with one code representing
cheese pizza because of their similar nutrient profiles. Each food in
the FINCL for the same CN Code has a unique line number.

**In CN13,** all items in the FINCL file have been marked as
discontinued. This file will be removed completely in CN14.

**In CN11**, the Include Description field was expanded from a 200 to a
255 character field.

In CN2, New fields have been added to make the descriptions for foods in
this file stand-alone. In the first release of the CN-D, the include
description was not always stand-alone. For some foods, there was only a
qualifying phrase such as \"with fruit\" for instant oatmeal. The
complete identification of an INCLUDE food required both the individual
INCLUDE DESCRIPTION and the DESCRIPTION from the FDES file for the
linked CN code. Fields added for the CN2 release included the
following---Food Category Code, Abbreviated Descriptor, Product Code,
Manufacturer Name, Form of Food, Recipe Code, and Source Code. The
Include Description or Brand/Label field was expanded in the CN2 release
from a 100 to a 200 character field.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **FOOD INCLUDE (FINCL)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| **Field Name**           | **Type/  | # |                               |
|                          | Length** |   |                               |
|                          |          | D |                               |
|                          |          | e |                               |
|                          |          | s |                               |
|                          |          | c |                               |
|                          |          | r |                               |
|                          |          | i |                               |
|                          |          | p |                               |
|                          |          | t |                               |
|                          |          | i |                               |
|                          |          | o |                               |
|                          |          | n |                               |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| CN Code                  | N 6\*    |   | CN Code used to link items    |
|                          |          |   | with the same food category   |
|                          |          |   | and nutrient values.          |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Include Sequence Number  | N 3\*    |   | Sequence number for uniquely  |
|                          |          |   | identifying items with the    |
|                          |          |   | same CN code.                 |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Brand/Label Code         | A 10     |   | Code for Brand/Label items    |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Include Description      | A 255    |   | Item description or           |
| (long)                   |          |   | Brand/Label Name              |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Date Added               | D        |   | Date record was first placed  |
|                          |          |   | into this file.               |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Last Modified            | D        |   | Date of last record revision. |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Status                   | A 1      |   | Active (a) or                 |
|                          |          |   |                               |
|                          |          |   | Discontinued (d)              |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Food Category Code       | N 2      |   | Code for classifying food     |
|                          |          |   | into a designated group       |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Abbreviated Descriptor   | A 60     |   | Abbreviated item description  |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Product Code             | A 15     |   | The item product code defined |
|                          |          |   | by the manufacturer or the    |
|                          |          |   | UPC code. The UPC code is     |
|                          |          |   | identified with the prefix    |
|                          |          |   | 'UPC'.                        |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Manufacturer Name        | A 80     |   | The manufacturer name         |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Form of food             | A 12     |   | > Designated only for brand   |
|                          |          |   | > foods (foods with source    |
|                          |          |   | > code 3)\--as purchased or   |
|                          |          |   | > as served; (as purchased    |
|                          |          |   | > food requires preparation   |
|                          |          |   | > before serving; as served   |
|                          |          |   | > food does not require       |
|                          |          |   | > additional preparation.)    |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Recipe Code              | A 6      |   | Code for a standardized       |
|                          |          |   | recipe, listed on a recipe    |
|                          |          |   | card                          |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+
| Source Code              | N 1      |   | Specifies source of nutrient  |
|                          |          |   | values\--                     |
|                          |          |   |                               |
|                          |          |   | USDA Nutrient Data Base for   |
|                          |          |   | Standard Reference (1),       |
|                          |          |   |                               |
|                          |          |   | Standardized recipe           |
|                          |          |   |                               |
|                          |          |   | Calculation (2),              |
|                          |          |   |                               |
|                          |          |   | Food industry (3),            |
|                          |          |   |                               |
|                          |          |   | Commodity (4)                 |
+--------------------------+----------+---+-------------------------------+

**FOOD SUBCODE (FSUBCOD)** file identifies the CN code to which a
subcode is linked. This file and the FOOD SUBCODE DESCRIPTION file allow
the separate listing of brand-name and special-case foods for the
purpose of identifying unique weights for the same measure of food with
the same nutrient profile. For example, different brands of a chocolate
cupcake with icing or filling may have the same nutrient profile and
therefore, would be classified into one CN code. However, the weight for
\"1 package\" for different brands might vary and, therefore, each brand
would be assigned a unique subcode.

**In CN13,** all items in the FSUBCOD file have been marked as
discontinued. This file will be removed completely in CN14.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **FOOD SUBCODE (FSUBCOD)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+---------------------------+----------+------------------------------+
| **Field Name**            | **Type/  | # Description                |
|                           | Length** |                              |
+---------------------------+----------+------------------------------+
| CN Code                   | N 6\*    | CN Code used to link items   |
|                           |          | with the same food category  |
|                           |          | and nutrient values.         |
+---------------------------+----------+------------------------------+
| CN Subcode                | N 7\*    | Unique sequence number used  |
|                           |          | to identify item.            |
+---------------------------+----------+------------------------------+
| Date Added                | D        | Date record was first placed |
|                           |          | into this file.              |
+---------------------------+----------+------------------------------+
| Last Modified             | D        | Date of last record          |
|                           |          | revision.                    |
+---------------------------+----------+------------------------------+
| Status                    | A 1      | Active (a) or                |
|                           |          |                              |
|                           |          | discontinued (d)             |
+---------------------------+----------+------------------------------+

**FOOD SUBCODE DESCRIPTION (FSUBDES)** file contains a code and
descriptive information for each unique brand-name food or special-case
food.

**In CN13,** all items in the FSUBDES file have been marked as
discontinued. This file will be removed completely in CN14.

**In CN11**, the Subcode Descriptor field was expanded from a 200 to a
255 character field.

**In CN2,** like the FOOD INCLUDE file, new fields were added to this
file in order to make the descriptions stand-alone since the CN1
release. Fields added are the following\--Food Category Code,
Abbreviated Descriptor, Product Code, Manufacturer Name, Form of Food,
Recipe Code and Source Code. The Subcode Descriptor field was expanded
from a 100 to a 200 character field.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **FOOD SUBCODE DESCRIPTION (FSUBDES)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| **Field Name**           | **Type/  | # Description                 |
|                          | Length** |                               |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| CN Subcode               | N 7\*    | Unique sequence number used   |
|                          |          | to identify item. Linked to   |
|                          |          | the FSUBCOD file              |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Brand/Label Code         | A 10     | Code for Brand/Label items    |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Subcode Descriptor       | A 255    | Item description              |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Date Added               | D        | Date record was first placed  |
|                          |          | into this file.               |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Last Modified            | D        | Date of last record revision. |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Status                   | A 1      | Active (a) or                 |
|                          |          |                               |
|                          |          | Discontinued (d)              |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Food Category Code       | N 2      | Code for classifying food     |
|                          |          | into a designated group       |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Abbreviated Descriptor   | A 60     | Abbreviated item description  |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Product Code             | A 15     | The item product code defined |
|                          |          | by the manufacturer or the    |
|                          |          | UPC code. The UPC code is     |
|                          |          | identified with the prefix    |
|                          |          | 'UPC'.                        |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Manufacturer Name        | A 80     | The manufacturer name         |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Form of Food             | A 12     | Designated only for brand     |
|                          |          | foods (foods with source code |
|                          |          | 3)\--as purchased or as       |
|                          |          | served;                       |
|                          |          |                               |
|                          |          | (as purchased food requires   |
|                          |          | preparation before serving;   |
|                          |          |                               |
|                          |          | as served food does not       |
|                          |          | require additional            |
|                          |          | preparation.)                 |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Recipe Code              | A 6      | Code for a standardized       |
|                          |          | recipe, listed on a recipe    |
|                          |          | card                          |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+
| Source Code              | N 1      | Specifies source of nutrient  |
|                          |          | Values\--                     |
|                          |          |                               |
|                          |          | USDA Nutrient Data Base for   |
|                          |          | Standard Reference (1),       |
|                          |          |                               |
|                          |          | Standardized recipe           |
|                          |          | Calculation (2),              |
|                          |          |                               |
|                          |          | Food industry (3),            |
|                          |          |                               |
|                          |          | Commodity (4)                 |
+--------------------------+----------+-------------------------------+

**WEIGHTS (WGHT)** file contains weight and measure information for
specific foods. All weights are in grams.

**In CN8,** this file was created by merging the old MDES and GMWT files
into one file. Refer to page 1 for more information.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **WEIGHTS (WGHT)**^3^

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| **Field Name**      | **Type    | # Description                     |
|                     | /Length** |                                   |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| CN Code             | N 6\*     | CN Code used to link items with   |
|                     |           | the same food category and        |
|                     |           | nutrient values.                  |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| CN Subcode          | N 7\*     | Unique sequence number used for   |
|                     |           | either a brand name food item or  |
|                     |           | special case item.                |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Weights Sequence    | N 2\*     | Unique sequence number used to    |
| Number              |           | identify record.                  |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Amount              | N 6.3     | Unit Modifier - e.g. 1 in 1 cup)  |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Measure Description | A 80      | Description (e.g. Cup, Diced, 1\" |
|                     |           | pieces)                           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Gram Weight         | N 8.2     | Gram weight of food item          |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Date Added          | D         | Date record was first placed into |
|                     |           | this file.                        |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Last modified       | D         | Date of last record revision.     |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Status              | A 1       | Active (a) or                     |
|                     |           |                                   |
|                     |           | discontinued (d)                  |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+

^3^Starting with CN8, this table replaced the GMWT and MDES tables.

**[CN NUTRIENT DATABASE]{.underline}**

The **CN NUTRIENT DATA BASE** consists of two files\--**NUTRIENT
VALUES** and **NUTRIENT DESCRIPTION**.

**NUTRIENT VALUES (NUTVAL)** file contains nutrient values for foods to
be used in analysis of menus and recipes in the Child Nutrition
Programs. Sources of data for this file include the USDA Nutrient Data
Base for Standard Reference; nutrient calculations for standardized
school lunch recipes; and industry data for foods sold for school lunch
or breakfast programs. All nutrient values are based on 100 grams.
Additional value type codes have been added to the NUTVAL Table to
describe the type of value for a nutrient.

**Differentiating Between Data Containing Zeros and Missing Data**

Nutrient data represented by a zero means that the food item was tested
for that nutrient, but there was no significant amount of that nutrient
found in the food. For example, a value of zero for food energy or
calories means that this food contains no calories. Values of zero are
not to be interpreted as missing values or blanks; they must remain
zeros.

Please notify FNS if you find any food items with missing values or
blanks for any of the 12 required nutrients: protein, total fat,
carbohydrate, food energy, total dietary fiber, calcium, iron, sodium,
vitamin A in IU, vitamin C, cholesterol, and saturated fat. Foods that
do not provide values for all 12 required nutrients should not be
included in the CN Database.

In the case of optional nutrients (ash, moisture, and trans fat),
missing nutrient values may exist and are shown as blanks in the CN
Database. Blank nutrient values should not be interpreted as zeros.
Blank nutrient values should be interpreted and marked as missing
values; for example, an asterisk with a footnote would indicate that the
nutrient value is missing. Additionally, any nutrient total containing a
missing value must also be marked as including missing nutrient data.
**Use of a zero to represent a missing value is incorrect.** Zeros must
only be used for true zero values. Optional nutrients are the only
acceptable nutrients to be assigned missing values in the CN Database.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **NUTRIENT VALUES (NUTVAL)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| **Field Name**       | **Type    | # Description                     |
|                      | /Length** |                                   |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| CN Code              | N 6\*     | CN Code used to link items with   |
|                      |           | the same food category and        |
|                      |           | nutrient values.                  |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Nutrient Code        | N 5\*     | Code used to identify a           |
|                      |           | particular nutrient. Linked to    |
|                      |           | Nutrient Description file         |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Nutrient Value       | N 10.3    | Value for nutrient                |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Value Type Code      | N 3       | Type of value---                  |
|                      |           |                                   |
| **Note:** The Value  |           | Calculated from standardized      |
| Type Code is         |           | school lunch recipe (0);          |
| intended for         |           |                                   |
| internal use only    |           | Analytical (1),                   |
| and should not be    |           |                                   |
| displayed to         |           | Imputed (4),                      |
| software users.      |           |                                   |
|                      |           | Based on label claim (5),         |
|                      |           |                                   |
|                      |           | assume zero---presence not        |
|                      |           | expected (7),                     |
|                      |           |                                   |
|                      |           | Calculated from label claim (8),  |
|                      |           |                                   |
|                      |           | Calculated by manufacturer (9)    |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Date Added           | D         | Date record was first placed into |
|                      |           | this file.                        |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Last Modified        | D         | Date of last record revision.     |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+
| Status               | A 1       | Active (a) or                     |
|                      |           |                                   |
|                      |           | discontinued (d)                  |
+----------------------+-----------+-----------------------------------+

**NUTRIENT DESCRIPTION (NUTDES)** file contains the names and codes for
nutrients included in the NUTRIENT VALUES file.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **NUTRIENT DESCRIPTION (NUTDES)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| **Field Name**            | **Type    | # Description               |
|                           | /Length** |                             |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| Nutrient Code             | N 5\*     | Code used to identify a     |
|                           |           | particular nutrient.        |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| Nutrient Description      | A 30      | Description of nutrient     |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| Nutrient Description      | A 5       | Abbreviated description of  |
| (abbreviated)             |           | nutrient                    |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| Nutrient Unit             | A 5       | Identifies the measure      |
|                           |           | (calories, grams,           |
|                           |           | milligrams, International   |
|                           |           | Units, etc.) for reporting  |
|                           |           | a nutrient in the Nutrient  |
|                           |           | Values file.                |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| Date Added                | D         | Date record was first       |
|                           |           | placed into this file.      |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| Last Modified             | D         | Date of last record         |
|                           |           | revision.                   |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+
| Status                    | A 1       | Active (a) or               |
|                           |           |                             |
|                           |           | discontinued (d)            |
+---------------------------+-----------+-----------------------------+

**[OTHER CN FILES]{.underline}**

**FOOD BUYING GUIDE (BUYGD)** file contains data on the quantity of
ready-to-serve, ready-to-cook or cooked food obtained from a purchased
unit of food. Also included are weights of drained vegetables or fruits
from various can sizes. The information from the BUYGD file must be
provided to software users as a reference.

With CN8, The Food Buying Guide File was updated to include the changes
made in the November 2001, Revised *Food Buying Guide for Child
Nutrition Programs* (Program aid 1331).

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **FOOD BUYING GUIDE (BUYGD)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| **Field Name**            | **Type    | # Description                |
|                           | /Length** |                              |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Food Category Code        | N 2\*     | Code for classifying food    |
|                           |           | into a designated group      |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Food Description          | A 255\*   | Item description             |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Buying Guide Code         | N 4\*     | Code used to identify a      |
|                           |           | particular buying guide      |
|                           |           | item.                        |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Sequence Number           | N 2\*     | Unique sequence number used  |
|                           |           | to identify item.            |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Purchase Unit             | A 60      | Purchase unit                |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Preparation Description   | A 60      | Description of preparation   |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Edible Portion Amount     | N 5.2     | Specifies the part of a      |
|                           |           | portion size                 |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Edible Portion Measure    | A 8       | Measure for food such as     |
|                           |           |                              |
|                           |           | c (cup),                     |
|                           |           |                              |
|                           |           | TB (tablespoon)              |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Date Added                | D         | Date record was first placed |
|                           |           | into this file.              |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Last Modified             | D         | Date of last record          |
|                           |           | revision.                    |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Status                    | A 1       | Active (a) or                |
|                           |           |                              |
|                           |           | discontinued (d)             |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+

**FOOD BUYING GUIDE LINK (BYGDLNK)** file identifies buying guide codes
matched to CN codes for use in calculating edible portion weight.

In CN8, The Food Buying Guide Link File was updated with links from the
updated Food Buying Guide File to the current Food Description File.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **FOOD BUYING GUIDE LINK (BYGDLNK)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------+
| **Field Name** | **Type    | # Description                          |
|                | /Length** |                                        |
+----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------+
| CN Code        | N 6\*     | CN Code used to link items with the    |
|                |           | same food category and nutrient        |
|                |           | values.                                |
+----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------+
| Buying Guide   | N 4\*     | Code used to identify a particular     |
| Code           |           | buying guide item.                     |
+----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------+
| Date Added     | D         | Date record was first placed into this |
|                |           | file.                                  |
+----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------+
| Last Modified  | D         | Date of last record revision.          |
+----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------+
| Status         | A 1       | Active (a) or                          |
|                |           |                                        |
|                |           | discontinued (d)                       |
+----------------+-----------+----------------------------------------+

**DATA QUALITY CONTROL (DQC)** This file was added in CN3. It contains
the results of a data quality control check. It is important to note
that each item has sixteen nutrient (NUTVAL) records associated with it,
however the values for ash, moisture, vitamin A (RE), or trans fat may
be blank, thereby creating a need for this table.

***Note for CN4:** All items with a CN Code greater than or equal to
100000 are listed in this file. All items with a CN Code less than
100000 have an implied DATA QUALITY CONTROL VALUE= 3 (15 nutrients).*

**[Data Quality Control Field]{.underline}**

This table is completed after the nutrient values for each item are
reviewed. A number is then placed in the Data Quality Control Field,
based on the data present, indicating which nutrient fields contain
values. This file is used by the Food and Nutrition Service for tracking
purposes.

Value **1** = (12 Nutrients: Energy in Kcal, Carbohydrates, Protein,
Total Fat, Total Dietary Fiber, Calcium, Iron, Sodium, Vitamin A (IU),
Vitamin C, Cholesterol, Total Saturated Fat).

(TOTAL OF 12 NUTRIENT RECORDS CONTAINING DATA)

Value **2** = (12 Nutrients +Ash +Moisture)

(TOTAL OF 14 NUTRIENT RECORDS CONTAINING DATA)

Value **3** = (12 Nutrients +Ash +Moisture +Vitamin A RE)

(TOTAL OF 15 NUTRIENT RECORDS CONTAINING DATA)

Value **4** = (12 Nutrients +Ash +Moisture +Vitamin A RE +Trans Fat)

(TOTAL OF 16 NUTRIENT RECORDS CONTAINING DATA)

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **DATA QUALITY CONTROL (DQC)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| **Field Name**            | **Type    | **Description**              |
|                           | /Length** |                              |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| CN Code                   | N 6       | CN Code used to link items   |
|                           |           | with the same food category  |
|                           |           | and nutrient values.         |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Include Line Number       | N 3       | Unique sequence number for   |
|                           |           | food include items (This     |
|                           |           | field will be blank if the   |
|                           |           | item is not contained within |
|                           |           | the FINCL file)              |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| CN Subcode                | N 7       | Unique sequence number for   |
|                           |           | food subcode items (This     |
|                           |           | field will be blank if the   |
|                           |           | item is not contained within |
|                           |           | the FSUBDES file)            |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Manufacturer Name         | A 80      | The manufacturer name        |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Product Code              | A 15      | The item product code        |
|                           |           | defined by the manufacturer  |
|                           |           | or the UPC code. The UPC     |
|                           |           | code is identified with the  |
|                           |           | prefix 'UPC'.                |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Data Quality Control      | A 2       | (values 1, 2, 3 or 4)        |
| Field                     |           |                              |
|                           |           | **1** =(12 Nutrients: Energy |
|                           |           | Kcal, Carbohydrates,         |
|                           |           | Protein, Total Fat, Total    |
|                           |           | Dietary Fiber, Calcium,      |
|                           |           | Iron, Sodium, Vitamin A      |
|                           |           | (IU), Vitamin C,             |
|                           |           | Cholesterol, Total Saturated |
|                           |           | Fat)                         |
|                           |           |                              |
|                           |           | **2** =(12 Nutrients +Ash    |
|                           |           | +Moisture)                   |
|                           |           |                              |
|                           |           | **3 =**(12 Nutrients +Ash    |
|                           |           | +Moisture +Vitamin A RE)     |
|                           |           |                              |
|                           |           | **4 =**(12 Nutrients +Ash    |
|                           |           | +Moisture +Vitamin A RE      |
|                           |           | +Trans Fat)                  |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Date Added                | D         | Date record was first placed |
|                           |           | into this file.              |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Last Modified             | D         | Date of last record          |
|                           |           | revision.                    |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+
| Status                    | A 1       | Active (a) or                |
|                           |           |                              |
|                           |           | discontinued (d)             |
+---------------------------+-----------+------------------------------+

**Archive of Comments and Notes from Previous Releases**

**CN12 Release:** A record with a date after 5/1/2007 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN12 release. A record with a date
after 5/1/2007 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN12 release. All products marked as
discontinued in CN11 have been removed from CN12 (254 products).

**Note for CN12:** All Standard Reference 20 updates have been applied
to the CN SREF products included in this release. 350 additional SREF
products have been added and 248 SREF products have been coded as
discontinued in this release.

**CN11 Release:** A record with a date after 3/1/2006 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN11 release. A record with a date
after 3/1/2006 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN9 release. All products marked for
deletion in CN10 have been removed (108 products).

**Note for CN11:** All Standard Reference 19 updates have been applied
to the CN SREF products included in this release. Eleven (11) SREF
product deletes have been processed in this release. All CN SREF
products were updated to match the descriptions (long description and
abbreviated description) in SR19. A mass update to all CN SREF items in
the FDES, NUTVAL, and WEIGHTS tables was performed to ensure consistency
between the two databases. The MSFTCHG File was marked as discontinued
in CN10 and has been removed from CN11. All Data Quality Control values
were re-computed to include the Trans Fat optional nutrient (Nutrient
code 605). The field length for FDES.Descriptor,
FINCL.Include_Description, FSUBDES.Subcode_Descriptor, and
BUYGD.Food_Description was increased from 200 to 255 characters.

**CN10 Release:** A record with a date after 10/1/2005 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN10 release. A record with a date
after 10/1/2005 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN9 release.

**Note for CN10:** All Standard Reference 18 updates have been applied
to the CN SREF products included in this release. SREF product deletes
have been processed in this release. 143 products from SR18 have been
added in this release. All CN SREF products were updated to match the
descriptions (long description and abbreviated description) in SR18. The
MSFTCHG File is marked as discontinued in CN10 and will be removed from
CN11. Trans Fat has been added as an optional nutrient (Nutrient code
605). All SR18 trans fat data within the CN database with Source Code=1
was updated. All Chef's Challenge recipes have been removed. Please note
the addition of a special note on page 12 of this document regarding
Value Type Codes: *the Value Type Code is intended for internal use only
and should not be displayed to software users*. A new Data Quality
Control value (4) has been added; this value will be used when all 12
required nutrient values and all 4 optional nutrient values have been
provided. The following field names were changed: "Sequence" to
"Weights_Sequence_Line_Number" in the WEIGHTS TABLE and
"Include_Line_Number" to "Include_Sequence_Number" in the FINCL Table.

**CN9 Release:** A record with a date after 7/15/2004 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN9 release. A record with a date
after 7/15/2004 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN8 release.

**Note for CN9:** All Standard Reference 17 updates have been applied to
the CN SREF products included in this release. SREF product deletes have
been processed in this release. Please note in CN9, that the USDA
Recipes were updated which affects the information in the Food
Description Table, the Weights Table and the Nutrient Value Table of
CN9. Five recipes have been added and two have been removed. Most of the
nutrient data for the recipe items have been changed.

**CN8 Release:** A record with a date after 9/01/2002 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN8 release. A record with a date
after 9/01/2002 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN7 release.

**Note for CN8:** All Standard Reference 15 updates have been applied to
the CN SREF products included in this release. One new Standard
Reference Item has been added.

**CN7 Release:** A record with a date after 5/01/2002 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN7 release. A record with a date
after 5/01/2002 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN7 release.

**Note for CN7:** The Standard Reference products included in this
release have not been updated, due to a change in the Standard Reference
format. Some New Standard Reference Items have been added.

**CN6 Release:** A record with a date after 5/16/2001 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN6 release. A record with a date
after 5/16/2001 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN6 release.

**CN5 Release:** A record with a date after 5/20/2000 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN5 release. A record with a date
after 5/20/2000 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN5 release.

**Note for CN5:** This release has re-activated some of the records that
were marked as deleted in CN4 -- this affects the FDES, GMWT, NUTVAL
tables. 279 products were re-activated. Future releases of CN will not
re-activate deleted products, but will assign them new CN codes if
needed.

**CN4 Release:** A record with a date after 7/07/1998 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN4 release. A record with a date
after 7/07/1998 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN4 release.

**CN3 Release:** A record with a date after 7/20/1995 in the "date
added" field is a new record in the CN3 release. A record with a date
after 7/20/1995 in the "last modified" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN3 release.

**Note for CN3:** *The CN code has been changed in all files from* *N5
to* *N6, and all tables now contain the fields Date_Added, Last_Modified
and Status.* *All dates are represented as MM/DD/YYYY and are enclosed
in \~ (tilde) symbols.* *A new Data Quality Control table (DQC) has been
added to this release* and additional value type codes have been added
to the NUTVAL Table to describe the type of value for a nutrient.

**CN2 Release:** A record with a date after 1/31/94 in the \"date
added\" field is a new record with the CN2 release. A record with a date
after 1/31/94 in the \"last modified\" field contains a revised value in
one or more of its fields with the CN2 release.

**Note for CN2:** A new field in the FOOD DESCRIPTION file\--Form of
Food\--has been added to this file in the CN2 release. Form of food
identifies whether a brand food requires additional preparation before
serving (as purchased) or does not require any additional preparation
before serving (as served).

The abbreviated descriptions for standardized recipes are the
descriptions, which are listed on each recipe card. A new
field\--Nutrient Unit\--has been added to the NUTDES file. The Nutrient
Unit identifies the measure (calories, grams, milligrams, International
Units, etc.) for reporting a nutrient in the Nutrient Values file. The
Buying Guide Code in the BUYGD file has replaced the Market Code.