How often do you guys calibrate your peanut butter?

[Macbeth]

I've always worried about the quality of the peanut butter languishing at the back of my store cupboard.
Not to fear, NIST have a standard reference for only $761. https://www-s.nist.gov/srmors/view_detail.cfm?srm=2387

Now, what would the recommended items of test equipment be to compare to this standard? Some kind of mass spectrometer? Anything available for the amateur food scientist?

[indole]

Looking at the data they provide, I would presume they would do elemental analysis on the sample to determine ash and inorganic content like minerals.  Protein determination would be done using the Kjeldahl technique.  Fat would be extracted using hexane or similar solvent then esterified for GC analysis.  Calories could be calculated if fatty acids, proteins and carbohydrates were determined, otherwise a bomb calorimeter.  There's probably even spreadability tests of some sort to test the viscosity of it. 
Not sure why you would want an external standard of peanut butter since most companies producing peanut butter would probably have their own internal standards for comparison.

[Stonent]

As a former child (depending on who you talk to) I have over the years found many variations on the taste of peanut butter.
Some have more roasted flavors, some are creamier, some are sweeter, some are thicker and some are more smooth.

But I suppose this standard may be used as a value in a calculation for nutritionists. Maybe not a reference to be calibrated to but sort of an representative average of peanut butters.

Maybe if you were studying a weight loss drug and using mice for testing, you'd want to make sure they were all being fed a consistent food when fattening them up.

[amyk]

It's 3 170g jars for $761, so they're closer to $254 each, or almost $1.5/g.

I'm more curious to know what "component... male" to its left is for...

[Stonent]

It's 3 170g jars for $761, so they're closer to $254 each, or almost $1.5/g.

I'm more curious to know what "component... male" to its left is for...

Possibly this:
https://www-s.nist.gov/srmors/view_detail.cfm?srm=2372



I'm guessing the 3 samples means Male, Female and Mixed.

[Macbeth]

I knew it... Peanut Butter is people!

[G7PSK]

You cannot have calibrated peanut butter without calibrated toast to put it on. So the problem is where do I get the toaster calibrated for the calibrated bread.

[codeboy2k]

Male DNA near the peanut butter? 

I think it's Kale. For the Oyster, Kale and Peanut Butter hors d'oeuvres they must eat at the NIST.

[cosmicray]

The parameter values listed there, are those for a particular batch of peanuts they used, or are they objective target numbers (requiring many sample runs to find the correct nuts).

[nanofrog]

I knew it... Peanut Butter is people!

Mmm... served best on the green wafers (Homer Simpson voice). 

[TSL]

I knew it... Peanut Butter is people!

Mmm... served best on the green wafers (Homer Simpson voice).

Mmmm Soylent Green 

[babysitter]

This is for metrology-grade allergy sufferers, so they can exactly tell how much peanut butter they can take before onset of symptoms.

[Stonent]

This is for metrology-grade allergy sufferers, so they can exactly tell how much peanut butter they can take before onset of symptoms.

You know that is annoying when someone goes into anaphylactic shock way out of spec.
 

[nanofrog]

In the top right, freeze-dried oyster tissue? What is this, where the POTUS' chef gets his cooking materials?

DNA source for the recreation of oysters once they go extinct. 

[calexanian]

I want so badly to be able to come up with a pun or joke, but I got nothing. I can think of a number of uses such as the before mentioned allergy study. Also nutritional study or some kind of biological study. Perhaps its used as some sort of energy source for biological activity. Or lets just see how long it takes peanut butter to go bad, or does it survive radiation sort of thing. It did make me recall the Simpsons scene where the doctor unwraps the "Surgical 2X4" piece of lumber. Classic episode.

[calexanian]

Second hit on google explains it.

http://scienceblog.com/1607/nist-peanut-butter-standard-spreads-quality-when-used/#wWEpxZGderIl2eWM.97

[JoeO]

This is for metrology-grade allergy sufferers, so they can exactly tell how much peanut butter they can take before onset of symptoms.

Absolutely not.  Every PB is different.

[German_EE]

No knife? Use a standard finger to get the peanut butter out of the jar.

http://www.ergonomicsusa.com/product/ul-standard-articulated-finger-probe/

[Stonent]

I'd be so tempted to have a tiny taste of the reference peanut butter.

[SeanB]

I'd be so tempted to have a tiny taste of the reference peanut butter.

Contains a specified amount of mouse droppings and insect body parts, as per the FDA rules. You have to add the extra if it is not present to reach the rule.

[madires]

The only purpose of that NIST peanut butter, I can think of, is to have a characterized sample to check the quality/accuracy of my food analysis lab, i.e. if it's able to get the same results.

[steve30]

I use it to calibrate my peanutometer  .

[c4757p]

peanutometer

"yup, that's a peanut"

[calexanian]

The only purpose of that NIST peanut butter, I can think of, is to have a characterized sample to check the quality/accuracy of my food analysis lab, i.e. if it's able to get the same results.

That is the stated purpose from the like i posted above. We should all call our favorite peanut butter companies and ask them how current their reference peanut butter is and ask for a copy of its NIST traceable certificate!