GIFSQ Tools · Module 1 — Food Composition & Proximate Analysis · Tool 16 of 500
Assemble a proximate report from the six measured components. The builder checks that the components sum near 100 % and cross-checks the energy against the Atwater factors.
Try sample values — fills the form with the worked example below.
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Components sum (%)
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Energy, Atwater (kcal)
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Energy check (%)
Equation: Components sum = moisture + ash + protein + fat + fibre + carbohydrate
Energy (Atwater) = 4 × protein + 9 × fat + 4 × (carbohydrate − fibre) + 2 × fibre
Energy check % = (reported energy − Atwater energy) ÷ Atwater energy × 100.
Method: Proximate report assembly, AOAC proximate analysis practice with Atwater general factors (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 77) — carbohydrate by difference carries the fibre, so the fibre is taken out of the 4 kcal/g term and counted at 2 kcal/g.
Assumptions: all six values are on the same basis and come from the same sample; carbohydrate is by difference and already counts the fibre.
Limitations: the sum check only catches gross errors — a small gap can still hide two offsetting errors; the energy check is a cross-check, not a measurement, and it does not fit foods with sugar alcohols or resistant starch.
Rounding: results to 2 decimal places; intermediate values are not rounded. Sum passes within 0.50 of 100 %; energy passes within 5 % of the Atwater value.
This is a calculation aid, not a laboratory report — confirm against your accredited method before citing a value.
Energy (Atwater) = 4 × protein + 9 × fat + 4 × (carbohydrate − fibre) + 2 × fibre
Energy check % = (reported energy − Atwater energy) ÷ Atwater energy × 100.
Method: Proximate report assembly, AOAC proximate analysis practice with Atwater general factors (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 77) — carbohydrate by difference carries the fibre, so the fibre is taken out of the 4 kcal/g term and counted at 2 kcal/g.
Assumptions: all six values are on the same basis and come from the same sample; carbohydrate is by difference and already counts the fibre.
Limitations: the sum check only catches gross errors — a small gap can still hide two offsetting errors; the energy check is a cross-check, not a measurement, and it does not fit foods with sugar alcohols or resistant starch.
Rounding: results to 2 decimal places; intermediate values are not rounded. Sum passes within 0.50 of 100 %; energy passes within 5 % of the Atwater value.
This is a calculation aid, not a laboratory report — confirm against your accredited method before citing a value.
Worked example: Moisture 12.00, ash 1.50, protein 10.00, fat 2.00, fibre 5.00, carbohydrate 69.50. Sum = 12.00 + 1.50 + 10.00 + 2.00 + 5.00 + 69.50 = 100.00 % — passes. Atwater energy = 4 × 10 + 9 × 2 + 4 × (69.50 − 5.00) + 2 × 5 = 40 + 18 + 258 + 10 = 326.00 kcal. Reported 330.00 kcal differs by (330 − 326) ÷ 326 × 100 = +1.23 % — passes.
Enter values above to see results.
A report passes when the components sum within 0.50 of 100 % and the reported energy sits within 5 % of the Atwater value. If either check fails, recheck the inputs before citing the report. Tool 16 of 500 — GIFSQ
