Similarly, some proprietary information on products may not be released, especially if the products are subject to periodic changes in formulation. Regulations require that a high percentage of a product meets or exceeds the nutrient levels stated on the label. Label information may therefore understate nutrient composition in order to comply with regulatory needs, with the result that average or typical values are often higher than specified. Manufacturers' product data sheets are sometimes used when information from a recognized data base is either unavailable or inappropriate. The latter may be due to product changes or to improvements in analytical procedures.
Most manufacturers have nutrient data available on their food products.
It requires some effort to determine the reliability of the data source and the compatibility of the methodology with similar values from other data sources. The need for and use of food composition data by food companies varies according to the type of food product. A great influence on these needs and uses is the type of market in which the products are sold. Nutrition data may, however, add little or nothing to a company's ability to sell their product and, therefore, be seen as a minor concern. The degree of control that a food company exercises over the composition will influence the need for and use of food composition data.