peanut butter
Enable an agent to recognise peanut butter, assess its composition and condition, and determine suitable handling and uses.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
recalled by Codex without web access - no source was read
Researched by: Codex
Purpose and description
Enable an agent to recognise peanut butter, assess its composition and condition, and determine suitable handling and uses.
Peanut butter is a spreadable food made by grinding shelled peanuts, usually roasted, into a paste of solid peanut particles dispersed in peanut oil, sometimes with added salt, sweeteners or stabilizing fats.
It can be Compare formulations for a specified flavour, texture, or ingredient requirement.; Assess whether a product belongs within peanut butter or a neighbouring spread category.; Determine whether stirring or other preparation is appropriate under the product instructions.; Estimate portions and nutrient contributions from documented composition.; Evaluate suitability for spreading, baking, or incorporation into a sauce.; Flag a batch for withholding or further assessment when condition or safety evidence is inadequate..
Distinguishing features
Ground peanuts supply the defining food base; a similar-looking spread based on another nut or seed does not qualify.
The material contains ground peanut solids incorporated into a paste, distinguishing it from separated peanut oil.
Its supplied form is a paste or spread; dry powdered products require an explicit boundary decision rather than automatic inclusion.
Smooth and crunchy versions share the peanut-paste identity; embedded peanut pieces distinguish texture variants.
Products diluted or blended with substantial non-peanut ingredients require formulation and naming evidence to distinguish peanut butter from a peanut-containing spread.
Scope
+ Identity as a paste or spread made principally from ground peanuts
+ Ingredient composition and differences between formulations
+ Particle texture, spreadability, and oil separation
+ Batch condition, storage history, and evidence of deterioration
+ Suitability for specified culinary uses and dietary constraints
- Peanut cultivation and the biology of the peanut plant
- Standalone peanut oil, peanut flour, and other nut or seed butters
- Manufacturing equipment and factory operating procedures
- Packaging design, retail offers, and brand ownership
- Complete recipes or meals containing peanut butter
- Individual allergy diagnosis and medical treatment
Characteristics
- Peanut proportion
- % by mass; declared, measured, or unknown Supports identity decisions and comparison of formulations without assuming an unverified naming threshold.
- Ingredient formulation
- Declared ingredients, including peanuts, added oils, sweeteners, salt, stabilisers, and other additions Explains differences in flavour, separation, dietary suitability, and culinary behaviour.
- Peanut preparation
- Roast treatment and skin inclusion, where documented; otherwise unknown Helps distinguish flavour, colour, and processing variants.
- Texture class
- Smooth, crunchy, other declared texture, or unclassified Separates intended peanut pieces from unintended grittiness or foreign material.
- Peanut particle size
- µm or mm, with method and separate treatment of paste particles and larger pieces Provides a concrete basis for texture and application requirements.
- Flow and spreadability
- Apparent viscosity in Pa·s or spread force in N, with temperature and test conditions Supports decisions about spreading, pumping, mixing, and portioning.
- Oil separation
- Absent, visible oil layer, compacted solids, remixed, or unknown Informs preparation and consistency assessment without treating separation alone as proof of spoilage.
- Water activity
- Dimensionless aw, with measurement temperature and date Contributes to stability assessment but cannot establish microbiological safety by itself.
- Nutrient composition
- Energy in kJ or kcal and nutrients in g or mg per 100 g and per stated serving Allows formulation-specific dietary comparison and portion calculations.
- Opening and storage condition
- Unopened or opened; opening date, temperature history, and adherence to product instructions Provides context for judging the current batch rather than relying only on its printed date.
- Batch evidence
- Links to product label, lot identifier, supplier records, test results, and applicable notices Connects identity and condition judgments to the material actually being assessed.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 19 findings · 29 questions.
Peanut butter identity Establishes what makes the material peanut butter and where adjacent product categories begin.
Peanut butter is a formulated food, so its identity cannot be represented by a single chemical identifier or by appearance alone.
Peanut paste basis
Records the defining ingredient and physical form.
Defining peanut material
Determine whether ground peanuts form the defining paste and record the evidence supporting that determination.
- Do ground peanuts form the defining base of the material, and what ingredient evidence establishes this? definition
- Is the supplied material a paste, a dry powder, an extracted oil, or a composite food containing peanut butter? boundary
Product category boundaries
Separates material identity from naming conventions and adjacent spreads.
Name and formulation fit
Record how the product name relates to its formulation and any applicable identity requirements.
- What distinguishes this formulation from a peanut-containing spread or a mixed nut butter? boundary
- Which market and documented naming requirements support its designation as peanut butter? provenance
Formulation and food composition Describes the peanut preparation, added ingredients, and nutritional composition.
Products sharing the same name can differ in flavour, stability, ingredient suitability, and nutrient contribution.
Peanuts and additions
Records the peanut component and the roles of other ingredients.
Recipe composition
Capture documented peanut content, preparation, and additions without inferring an undisclosed recipe.
- What peanut proportion, roast treatment, and skin inclusion are documented? provenance
- Which oils, sweeteners, salts, stabilisers, or other ingredients are present, and are their quantities known? measurement
Nutrition and ingredient constraints
Connects the actual formulation to portion calculations and ingredient restrictions.
Declared composition and allergens
Keep nutrient evidence and allergen declarations specific to the product under assessment.
- What nutrient quantities are documented per 100 g and per explicitly sized serving? measurement
- What peanut allergen declaration, additional allergens, and cross-contact statements are recorded for this product? provenance
Texture and oil behaviour Characterises the ground solids, larger peanut pieces, and movement of oil within the paste.
Peanut butter's usefulness depends on its particle structure and consistency, which broad labels such as solid or liquid do not capture.
Particle texture
Separates paste fineness from deliberately included peanut pieces.
Smoothness and crunch
Record intended texture and observable departures from it.
- Is the intended texture smooth or crunchy, and what evidence distinguishes intended pieces from unexpected particles? definition
- What particle-size measurements describe the paste and any larger peanut pieces? measurement
Consistency and separation
Assesses spreadability and separated oil under recorded conditions.
Conditioned flow
Relate consistency observations to temperature, mixing history, and formulation.
- How does the material spread or flow at the intended use temperature under a stated test method? measurement
- Is oil separation present, and do the product instructions support stirring it back into the solids? action
Batch condition and stability Connects storage, opening, deterioration observations, and safety evidence to a particular batch.
An apparently normal paste and a printed date are insufficient on their own to establish the current batch's condition.
Storage and deterioration
Records handling history and changes in the peanut paste.
Condition against storage history
Assess observed changes using product-specific storage guidance and opening history.
- When was the container opened, and how does its storage history compare with the product instructions? provenance
- Are there unexpected odours, colour changes, visible growth, or texture changes, and when were they observed? measurement
Safety evidence
Keeps batch-specific hazard evidence separate from sensory quality observations.
Batch disposition
Record evidence needed to decide whether the batch may be used or requires further assessment.
- What lot-linked testing, supplier assurances, or notices address microbiological and chemical contamination? provenance
- Does the available evidence support use, or require withholding the batch pending investigation? action
Culinary use and handling Evaluates the material for specific food preparation tasks and records changes introduced during use.
A peanut butter suited to spreading may behave differently in baking or sauce preparation, and formulation changes can affect substitutions.
Application fit
Matches formulation and texture to the intended culinary result.
Recipe function
Determine which properties matter for the requested application and whether they have been demonstrated.
- Does the intended use require a smooth spread, retained peanut pieces, a particular sweetness, or a specified flow behaviour? action
- What recipe trial or product evidence supports substituting this formulation for the peanut butter originally specified? provenance
Preparation and transformation
Tracks preparation steps and the transition from peanut butter to another food preparation.
Handling and mixture boundary
Distinguish preparing the paste for use from creating a sauce, filling, or other composite food.
- What stirring, portioning, or temperature adjustment is supported for this product and intended use? action
- When water or other ingredients are added, which resulting properties and storage decisions must move to the model of the new preparation? boundary
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- This is recalled knowledge, not source-verified research; exact regulatory provisions and their current applicability need checking.
- The measurement ranges are approximate for conventional products and do not cover powdered or reduced-fat formulations.
- Peanut butter is a variable food mixture, not a pure chemical substance; a single CAS identity, melting point or boiling point would not adequately describe it.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Kinds and varieties
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Smooth or creamy
- Crunchy or chunky
- Unstabilized, often sold as natural
- Stabilized
- Salted
- Unsalted
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) - 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits - Identifies a particular packaged trade item, not peanut butter as a material; there is no single GTIN for the category.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- US Food and Drug Administration: standard of identity for peanut butter.
- Codex Alimentarius Commission: General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods.
- Codex Alimentarius Commission: General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Spread for bread, toast and sandwiches.
- Ingredient in confectionery, biscuits and other baked goods.
- Base for sauces, dressings and dips.
- Ingredient in smoothies and other blended foods.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Total fat per 100 g of conventional peanut butter - 45-55 - g
- Protein per 100 g of conventional peanut butter - 20-30 - g
- Food energy per 100 g of conventional peanut butter - 580-650 - kcal
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Peanut proteins can trigger severe allergic reactions in susceptible people.
- Salmonella contamination is a recognized hazard: low moisture limits growth but does not ensure that the organism cannot survive.
- Peanuts can carry aflatoxins produced by certain molds, making raw-material control important.
- Oxidation of fats can produce rancid flavors and odors during storage.
- Oil separation and hardening of the settled solids can impair texture, especially in unstabilized products; separation alone does not establish spoilage.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Legal naming and composition requirements vary by jurisdiction, so a formulation sold as peanut butter in one market may require a different name elsewhere.
- Sweetening, salting and stabilization practices vary among markets and manufacturers.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Peanut oil - Peanut oil is the separated lipid fraction; peanut butter retains substantial ground peanut solids.
- Peanut paste - The terms overlap; peanut paste can describe a ground-peanut ingredient without implying a retail spread or compliance with a peanut-butter identity standard.
- Powdered peanut butter - Usually made from substantially defatted peanut material and sold as a powder for mixing or reconstitution, rather than as an oil-rich paste.
- Almond butter - Made primarily from almonds rather than peanuts.
- Peanut sauce - A prepared sauce containing peanuts or peanut butter plus other ingredients, often including added water, rather than the ground-peanut spread itself.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of peanut butter this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Which jurisdiction-specific identity rules distinguish peanut butter from peanut spreads, and which markets should this model cover?
- Should powdered and reconstituted peanut butter be variants within this registry entry or linked neighbouring concepts?
- Which standardised methods best capture spreadability, paste particle size, and oil separation across formulations?
- What product-specific evidence supports storage periods and deterioration criteria after opening?
- Which microbiological and chemical hazards, sampling methods, and acceptance criteria must be represented for the intended uses and jurisdictions?