Source: https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/ingredient-substitution-ratio-calculator/mechanism/

instrument mechanism / verified-clean

# Ingredient Substitution Ratio Calculator mechanism

The inspectable method record for Ingredient Substitution Ratio Calculator, kept separate from implementation and qualification.

Status: **VERIFIED_CLEAN**Lifecycle: **verified-clean**

## Model scope

The multiplication algorithm is acceptable for simple lookup-table ratios, but the instrument needs a specified, versioned culinary reference table and explicit ratio direction. Its honest-label warning is appropriate but should also state that many substitutions require recipe adjustments and that results vary by ingredient form and recipe. Because the source table, units, directionality, and handling of non-multiplicative substitutions are unspecified, the instrument requires review before being labeled fully verified.

- sub_qty = orig_qty × ratio is correct only when the substitution is a directly multiplicative, same-kind quantity conversion and the lookup ratio is explicitly directional.

- The formula does not represent substitutions requiring additions or removals, such as adding acid to milk to make a buttermilk substitute, nor substitutions requiring liquid, salt, or leavening adjustments.

- The specification does not define the table key, direction of each ratio, ingredient form, preparation context, or whether quantities are measured by mass or volume.

- Baking soda-to-baking powder ratios are culinary rules of thumb rather than universally interchangeable equivalents; the result can require changes to liquid, acidity, salt, and flavor.

## Units and conventions

- All vectors use the same quantity unit before and after substitution: cups for volume substitutions and teaspoons for leavening substitutions.

- Butter, oil, sugar, and yogurt/sour cream quantities are treated as volume measures, not mass measures.

- The brown sugar input is packed brown sugar; the white sugar output is granulated white sugar.

- Baking soda and baking powder quantities are level teaspoons.

- Ratios are directional lookup values: original ingredient quantity multiplied by the ratio for the requested substitute.

- The table values are approximate culinary conventions and are not nutritional, chemical, or mass-equivalence guarantees.

## Inspectable vector

One of 4 source-bound review vectors:

````
{
  "inputs": {
    "original_ingredient": "butter",
    "original_quantity": 1,
    "original_unit": "cup",
    "desired_substitute": "neutral cooking oil"
  },
  "expected_outputs": {
    "substitute_quantity": 0.75,
    "substitute_unit": "cup",
    "notes": "Use approximately 3/4 cup oil for 1 cup butter; texture and flavor may differ."
  },
  "reference_data": {
    "table_entry": "1 cup butter -> 3/4 cup neutral cooking oil",
    "ratio": 0.75,
    "source_convention": "widely tabulated standard culinary substitution value; Joy of Cooking-style convention"
  },
  "working": "orig_qty × ratio = 1 cup × 0.75 = 0.75 cup. Therefore substitute quantity = 3/4 cup oil."
}
````

## Failure boundary

**BREAK_CLAIMED** · SELF_FLAGGED

An extreme finite input of 1×10^308 tsp with a ratio of 3 produces 3×10^308, which overflows a standard finite floating-point result to +Infinity. Negative quantities also expose a convention hazard because the formula accepts them algebraically although a culinary calculator should reject them.

## Other records

[01**Overview**](<https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/ingredient-substitution-ratio-calculator/>)[03**Implementation**](<https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/ingredient-substitution-ratio-calculator/implementation/>)[04**Qualification**](<https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/ingredient-substitution-ratio-calculator/qualification/>)

## Sources and evidence

These pointers bind the page to evidence. They do not grant authority or collapse verification into deployment.

- `VERIFIED_LEDGER.json`

- `evidence-tranche7/tranche7-results.json`

- `BOUNDARY_HAZARD_CATALOG.json`