Nutella
Enable an AI agent to recognise a Nutella product or portion, assess its identity and usable state, and decide whether and how it may be stored, served or used as an ingredient.
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.
Researched by: Codex + Grok
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise a Nutella product or portion, assess its identity and usable state, and decide whether and how it may be stored, served or used as an ingredient.
Nutella is Ferrero S.p.A.'s trademarked cocoa-hazelnut fat spread: an ambient-stable, sugar- and palm-oil-based spread containing a declared 13% roasted hazelnuts and 7.4% fat-reduced cocoa (plus skimmed-milk powder, lecithin and vanillin), first marketed under that name in 1964 from Alba as the successor to Supercrema and sold as a breakfast/confectionery spread, not as chocolate under cocoa-product law.
It can be Identify a package or traceable portion as a specific Nutella product.; Compare the actual label and subsequent contact history with a stated ingredient or allergen constraint.; Measure or allocate a portion for spreading, serving or recipe incorporation.; Assess spreadability for a proposed use and check whether any conditioning step is supported by applicable instructions.; Choose storage or handling actions using the identified label and recorded exposure history.; Hold a portion from use when identity, condition or relevant handling evidence is unresolved..
Distinguishing features
A Nutella identity requires attributable product labelling or traceable transfer from an identified package; brown colour and hazelnut or cocoa flavour alone do not establish it.
A similarly described chocolate-hazelnut spread carrying another brand is a neighbouring product, not Nutella.
The exact product designation and ingredient declaration distinguish the identified Nutella formulation from an assumed universal recipe.
A biscuit, filled snack or prepared dish bearing the Nutella name must be distinguished from the spread or portion used as its ingredient.
A decanted portion can retain Nutella identity through recorded provenance, but its current appearance cannot independently authenticate the brand.
Scope
+ Identification of Nutella and its declared product variant and market
+ Labelled composition, allergen information and nutritional basis
+ Package, batch and portion provenance needed to interpret the material
+ Seal, opening, storage and contamination history affecting usability
+ Spread consistency and suitability for a proposed serving or recipe use
- The Nutella trademark, brand ownership and licensing as intellectual property
- Ferrero as an organisation and its corporate operations
- Packaging design, manufacture and recycling beyond its effect on the contents
- Hazelnuts, cocoa and other ingredients as independently modelled materials
- Finished dishes and composite branded snacks containing Nutella
- A person's medical conditions, dietary requirements and overall nutrition plan
Characteristics
- Declared product identity
- Exact brand, product designation and variant as recorded on the package; unknown Prevents confusion with competing spreads and other products carrying the Nutella name.
- Market and label version
- Declared destination market, label language and identifiable label revision; unknown Provides context for interpreting composition, date wording and handling instructions.
- Ingredient and allergen declaration
- Verbatim ingredients, declared allergens and precautionary statements from the identified package; unavailable Supports comparison with dietary constraints without assuming every variant has the same composition.
- Nutrition declaration basis
- Energy in kJ or kcal and nutrients in g per declared reference mass Allows an agent to calculate the contribution of the amount actually served.
- Available edible mass
- g, with measured or estimated status Determines whether enough material remains for a serving or recipe.
- Source package and lot
- Link to the originating package and recorded lot identifier; unresolved Preserves traceability after decanting or portioning.
- Opening and seal condition
- Apparently intact, opened with known date, opened with unknown date, damaged, unknown Separates package identity from evidence about exposure and handling.
- Recorded storage temperature
- Degrees Celsius with observation time or interval; unknown Supports interpretation of consistency and comparison with applicable storage instructions.
- Observed spread condition
- Recorded firmness, spreadability, uniformity, visible separation and unusual appearance or odour; unassessed Helps distinguish a performance issue from a condition requiring further assessment without treating appearance as proof of safety.
- Exposure and utensil history
- Known clean handling, recorded contact with other food or moisture, uncertain handling Captures changes that the original ingredient declaration and unopened-package information cannot describe.
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 5 bundles · 9 layers · 16 findings · 29 questions.
Nutella identity and boundaries Establishes which Nutella product the material represents and whether the record describes the spread itself.
Brand appearance, spread type and composite products can otherwise be mistaken for the same registered thing.
Declared product
Records the evidence supporting the Nutella designation and specific variant.
Identity evidence
Nutella attribution must retain its evidence and any unresolved authenticity limitation.
- What exact brand, product designation and variant appear on the source package? definition
- What package, supplier or transfer record supports identifying this material as Nutella? provenance
Spread versus containing product
Separates Nutella material from snacks, dishes and mixtures that contain it.
Material boundary
The agent must identify whether it holds the spread, a transferred portion or a different food containing Nutella.
- Does this record describe Nutella spread, a traceable portion, or a composite food containing it? boundary
- Has anything been mixed into the portion that requires modelling the resulting food separately? boundary
Formulation and dietary fit Captures the identified product's declarations and the evidence needed to assess a proposed serving.
A familiar brand name cannot substitute for the specific label or account for contact introduced after opening.
Ingredients and allergen evidence
Connects composition and allergen statements to the package being used.
Declared and introduced ingredients
Keeps original label declarations distinct from ingredients or allergens potentially introduced through handling.
- What ingredients, allergen declarations and precautionary statements are printed on this Nutella package? provenance
- What other foods or utensils have contacted the contents since opening or decanting? provenance
- Does the available evidence meet the intended eater's stated ingredient constraints, or must use remain unresolved? action
Portion nutrition
Relates the nutrition declaration to the amount of Nutella actually used.
Nutrition for used mass
Calculations must use a known label basis and a measured or explicitly estimated portion.
- What energy and nutrient quantities are declared, and for what reference mass? measurement
- How many grams of Nutella will be served or incorporated, and how was that amount determined? measurement
Package history and usability Connects the spread's current condition to its source package, date markings and exposure history.
A Nutella portion may retain its identity while losing the package context needed to judge whether it should be used.
Lot, date and opening
Preserves package information that remains relevant after opening or transfer.
Usable history
Date markings and opening history require their original wording and provenance rather than an inferred expiry rule.
- Which lot identifier, date marking and accompanying date wording belong to the source package? provenance
- When was the seal first opened, and can any decanted portion be linked back to that event? provenance
- What storage and after-opening instructions does the identified package provide? action
Exposure and condition
Records handling events and observations relevant to deciding whether the spread can be used.
Condition assessment
Observed texture changes, contamination evidence and missing history must remain distinguishable.
- What temperature exposure, closure failures or contact with moisture and food residues are recorded? provenance
- What unusual appearance, odour, foreign material or texture change has been observed, and when? measurement
- What applicable guidance supports using, holding or discarding this portion given those observations? action
Spread performance and use Describes whether the Nutella portion can perform its intended role and how it will be handled.
Identity and acceptable condition alone do not establish that the spread has the consistency or quantity required for a particular use.
Consistency for task
Assesses the spread against the intended application under recorded conditions.
Task-specific spreadability
Firmness and flow are assessed relative to spreading, filling or mixing rather than a universal texture target.
- At what observed temperature is the Nutella being assessed, and how does it spread or flow? measurement
- Does its present consistency suit the intended spreading surface, filling operation or mixing step? action
- If consistency needs adjustment, what product instructions support the proposed method and container? action
Portioning and transfer
Controls the amount used and preserves relevant identity and handling information during transfer.
Traceable use
Serving or recipe incorporation should record the transferred mass and any resulting change of material boundary.
- What mass is available, what mass is required, and what mass is actually transferred? measurement
- How will a retained portion preserve its source-package identity and opening history after transfer? action
- At which mixing or preparation step should the resulting food be linked to Nutella as an ingredient rather than identified as Nutella itself? 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.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Classic jarred Nutella (the reference retail product)
- Nutella & Go portion cups with breadsticks or pretzels
- Nutella B-ready filled wafer sandwiches
- Nutella biscuits and other branded baked snacks
- Squeeze-pack or easy-spread formats sold in some markets
- Mini and foodservice portion cups (hospitality, airlines)
- Bulk/foodservice tins for bakeries and catering
- Market-adapted recipes (EU, North America and other labelling/ingredient variants of the same brand)
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Wikidata - Q163850 - Item for the Nutella brand/product.
- Trademark - NUTELLA (Ferrero S.p.A. / Ferrero group registrants) - Word and device marks registered in the major filing offices; the name is a brand, not a generic product class.
- GTIN / EAN-13 / UPC - SKU- and market-specific 8-, 12- or 13-digit GTINs; many EU jars use Ferrero Italia GS1 prefixes such as 8000500… - No single code names the product as a kind; each jar size and national SKU has its own GTIN.
- HS / Combined Nomenclature - 1806.90 (preparations containing cocoa, other than specified chocolate forms); EU CN often treats cocoa spreads under 1806 90 - Tariff heading for cocoa-containing spreads, not a unique Nutella code.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (EU) - food information, nutrition declaration, QUID, allergen labelling (hazelnut, milk, soy lecithin).
- Directive 2000/36/EC (EU) - reserved names and composition of chocolate; Nutella cannot be sold as chocolate.
- 21 CFR Part 101 (US FDA) - Nutrition Facts, ingredient list and allergen labelling for the US SKU ("hazelnut spread with cocoa").
- Codex Alimentarius CXS 87-1981 (FAO/WHO) - chocolate and chocolate products; used as the boundary standard against which this spread is not chocolate.
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (EU Deforestation Regulation) - due-diligence rules for palm oil used in the recipe.
- RSPO Principles & Criteria (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) - voluntary chain-of-custody standard Ferrero cites for palm-oil supply, not a product-composition law.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Spread at breakfast or snack on bread, toast, crêpes, pancakes and brioche.
- Baking and pastry filling (cookies, brownies, croissants, doughnuts, crêpe stands).
- Foodservice and hospitality: portion cups, hotel breakfast buffets, bakery bulk tins.
- Impulse and on-the-go SKUs (Nutella & Go, B-ready) in convenience and travel retail.
- Direct spooned consumption from the jar; pairing with fruit or as an ice-cream topping.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Energy (EU reference jar) - 539 - kcal/100 g
- Total fat - 30.9 - g/100 g
- Saturated fat - 10.6 - g/100 g
- Sugars - 56.3 - g/100 g
- Protein - 6.3 - g/100 g
- Declared hazelnut content - 13 - g/100 g
- Declared fat-reduced cocoa - 7.4 - g/100 g
- Retail jar net mass (common SKUs) - 200-1000 - g
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Allergic reaction to hazelnut, milk proteins or soy lecithin.
- Oil separation and greasy mouthfeel if stored too warm; hard, unspreadable texture if refrigerated.
- Fat oxidation / rancidity and flavour staling after the best-before date or with poor seal integrity.
- Sugar bloom or grainy recrystallisation after temperature cycling.
- Dietary hazard from very high free-sugar and saturated-fat density (obesity, dental caries, cardiometabolic risk when eaten as a staple).
- Palm-oil supply-chain and reputational risk (deforestation, labour); periodic political boycotts.
- Lookalike and counterfeit jars in some markets; aflatoxin and agricultural-contaminant risk in the hazelnut supply (controlled, not eliminated).
- Glass-jar breakage and associated physical-injury/foreign-body risk.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Recipe and Nutrition Facts are not identical worldwide: EU jars state 13% hazelnuts / 7.4% cocoa and per-100 g nutrition; the US product is labelled "hazelnut spread with cocoa" with a 2-tablespoon (37 g) serving.
- Italy (Alba / Piedmont origin) treats it as an everyday breakfast spread; Germany is among the largest national markets; the US historically marketed it more as a special breakfast/treat (including the 2011 false-advertising litigation).
- France has been the centre of palm-oil political controversy (including the so-called "Nutella tax" proposals on palm oil).
- The 1951-1964 Italian Supercrema is the local predecessor; the Nutella word mark is used globally with only script/transliteration changes.
- Pack formats differ (glass vs plastic, squeeze packs, local jar sizes); private-label and local cocoa-hazelnut spreads are especially dense in Europe, the Gulf and parts of Asia.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Gianduja (gianduia) - Piedmontese chocolate-hazelnut paste typically uses cocoa mass and cocoa butter with a much higher hazelnut fraction and can fall under chocolate confectionery; Nutella is a palm-oil-based spread with ~13% hazelnut and is not sold under a chocolate legal name.
- Artisanal crema di nocciole - Often 30-45%+ hazelnut and olive or sunflower oil, with little or no palm oil; separate by declared nut percentage and fat source on the ingredient list.
- Private-label or branded cocoa-hazelnut spreads (e.g. Nocciolata and supermarket analogues) - Same product class, different formula and mark; Nutella is identified by the Ferrero trademark and its characteristic 13% hazelnut / palm-oil recipe, not by a protected composition standard.
- Peanut butter - Ground Arachis hypogaea, usually without cocoa and with far higher nut content; distinguish by species (peanut vs Corylus avellana), allergen statement and cocoa presence.
- Chocolate (legal name) - Directive 2000/36/EC / Codex CXS 87 require specified cocoa solids (and, for milk chocolate, milk solids); Nutella's cocoa level and fat phase keep it a cocoa-containing spread, not chocolate.
- Cookie/speculoos spread (e.g. Biscoff) - Made from crushed spiced biscuits, typically nut-free and cocoa-free; distinguish by ingredient list (wheat biscuit vs hazelnut/cocoa) and allergen profile.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of Nutella this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Sources
- Nutella product information (ingredients and nutrition) - Declared composition (hazelnut and cocoa percentages), typical EU nutrition per 100 g, brand origin and intended use as a spread.
- Nutella - Brand history (Supercrema to 1964 Nutella), product-line extensions, and the main public controversies (palm oil, advertising, class actions).
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers - Mandatory nutrition labelling, QUID for characterizing ingredients, and Annex II allergen rules (nuts, milk, soy) that govern how Nutella must be labelled in the EU.
- Directive 2000/36/EC relating to cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption - Legal names and cocoa-solid minima that keep Nutella outside the reserved name "chocolate" and in the class of cocoa-containing preparations/spreads.
What the second pass must settle
- Does vr.tr.nutella cover all spread variants sold under the Nutella name, or a narrower product identity that the registry must define?
- Which formulation, allergen and nutrition differences across markets and variants must the model explicitly distinguish?
- What authoritative storage, after-opening and temperature-conditioning instructions apply to each included product variant?
- Which observed texture changes are documented as quality variation, and which conditions require withholding the product from use?
- What evidence is sufficient to authenticate a package or support the Nutella identity of an unlabelled, decanted portion?