Overview
If an item already exists in your Pantry, you can connect it to a matching item in the Gaia Catalog or Child Nutrition Database (CNDB) at any time, instead of only at creation. Linking pulls in catalog-sourced data like nutrition, allergens, and manufacturer details, or simply records the match without changing anything.
Adding a brand-new item from the catalog is covered in Add Items from the Gaia Catalog and Add Items from the Child Nutrition Database (CNDB).
Linking an Item
From the item page, open the Catalog Link card and search for a matching catalog item. Once you pick a match, choose how to apply it:
Take the catalog data (default) — fills in nutrition, allergens, manufacturer details, and unit conversions from the catalog item. Preview the changes before confirming.
Link only — records the match without changing anything on your item. Use this when your item is already set up the way you want it.
If applying the catalog data would affect a live recipe or vendor product, nothing changes automatically. Gaia shows you what's affected so you can resolve it first.
Changing or Removing a Link
Relink replaces all catalog-sourced data with a new match. If you've edited any of those fields since linking, Gaia asks you to confirm before overwriting them. Relinking is the only action that can remove an allergen, so review the preview carefully.
Detach removes the link and its source badge. Your item's values stay exactly as they are; detaching can't be undone.
The Source Badge
An item's USDA or Gaia source badge follows whichever catalog item it's currently linked to. Linking a hand-built item gives it a badge for the first time; detaching or relinking to a different item changes or removes it.