About the Nutritional Databases

The ESHA master database is composed of about 30,000+ food items, with data from more than 1500 reputable sources. The data sources include the latest USDA Standard Reference database, selected items from the CSFII survey database, manufacturer’s data, data from fast food companies and data from literature sources. Each of our 160 nutritional components is individually sourced. In addition, we provide several calculated fields, such as the percent Calories from fat and niacin equivalents. We also group foods into detailed food categories and provide hand calculated diabetic exchange and pyramid groupings for each item. Mathematical checks are run on the database before each update release to ensure data accuracy and integrity.

The nutritional databases that are shipped with our software products are a custom subset of the ESHA master database. The Genesis database contains all items that are in the Food Processor database, plus nutritional data for chemicals and flavoring agents.

Both Genesis and Food Processor also provide the Canadian Nutrient File.

The Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) is compiled by the Nutrition Research Division of Health Canada. The latest version offers values for 5516 foods and 143 food components. This database works seamlessly with our ESHA database to offer a combined nutritional database of approximately 37,000 foods. Per licensing agreement, ESHA Research does not modify the nutritional composition of the CNF in any way. Some of the original CNF food names have been shortened, however, in order for them to read more easily in the software. For questions regarding the CNF visit their web site: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment.

Contract customers who lease the database to use with their own software, may customize their own subset of the ESHA master database to match their specific needs. For more information regarding the database, contact our Nutrition team at nutrition@esha.com.

 

Contact the Nutrition Department

• By email:
  nutrition@esha.com
• By telephone:
  1-800-659-ESHA (3742) ext. 305 or
  1-503-585-6242 ext. 305
• By fax:
  1-503-585-5543

Meet the Nutrition Staff

Eliz Braithwaite

Eliz is a Registered Dietitian with a Master of Public Health degree from UCLA. She has worked in nutrition for more than 25 years. For the past 20 years, she has specialized in nutritional software and databases, lending her expertise to the ever-changing field of nutrition research. In addition to providing leadership, she participates in the database support, coordinates nutritional database projects and responds to customer support inquiries. Eliz is a regular attender and supporter of the National Nutrient Databank conference, which meets yearly to discuss issues related to food composition databases.

Elaine Gramlich

Elaine Gramlich has a BA Degree in Language Arts and History from Western Oregon University and a Masters in Education from Willamette University. She has a strong background in educational, literary, and historical research; and she has experience working in library sciences and the health care profession. Elaine has a strong attention to details and consistency, a talent for tracking information, and enjoys looking for the most efficient and consistent processes. She participates in database support, special projects, and responds to customer support inquiries.

Summer Keightley
Summer Keightley comes to ESHA with a background in database creation, micro business development and information management. Her passion for food, veganism and nutrition has been a driving force in her life. Summer is the author and publisher of the vegan "Glad Cow Cookbook".

At ESHA, Summer uses her food geek and attention to detail skills to help keep the database clean and shiny. She likes it here. She thinks she will stay.

Alicia Triplett

Alicia Triplett returns to the Nutrition Department.  She has a BA in Psychology and Health from Western Oregon State College.  Alicia joined ESHA in 1994 where she worked in database research before moving to customer service.  Continued interest in health and fitness, as well as self-professed love of food, have naturally drawn her back to the Nutrition Department.  She applies her customer service experience in helping answer nutrition and regulatory-related questions.  Her tasks include specific data maintenance projects, and she enjoys the on-going dedication of adding to and maintaining the ESHA database.