Label guides
Zero, not reported and less than: three different readings
By SteadyScale editorial · Updated October 16, 2026
Read the wording, not only the digit
Our food tables preserve three different situations. Zero means the checked label declares zero for that field. Not reported means the checked record does not provide a value. A less-than entry retains the qualifier printed in the source. None is silently exchanged for another.
Why an empty value stays empty
An incomplete website panel can still provide useful information, but it cannot justify inventing the missing rows. We leave those values unavailable. We also do not rank an unknown value as the smallest number or use it to select an overall winner. A reader should be able to see where the evidence stops.
Why a qualified value is not an exact point
If the source says less than 1 g, entering an exact 1 g would change its meaning; entering zero would change it again. SteadyScale keeps the qualifier alongside the field. A precise per-100 calculation is therefore not supplied for that row. Other exact rows can still have derived estimates when the serving amount supports them.
This is a rule for preserving the source’s meaning, not a claim that a printed zero proves an absolute laboratory absence. We do not conduct chemical testing and do not infer extra precision from the design of the table.
How to act on a difference
Open the source and checking date. Confirm the product version before reporting a discrepancy. If the current package differs, send a link or a clear public source reference through corrections; do not send personal health records. The next editorial check should update the food record and review dependent articles rather than patching one visible table by hand.
Sources and checking date
FDA: What’s on the Nutrition Facts Label. · Checked 2026-10-16