diff --git a/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py b/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py
index 755f853763b1676f28d43127f6d20484e2546858..05cf6f1c4c58f1838cf1426353a6488f7acfea7d 100644
--- a/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py
+++ b/src/caosadvancedtools/cfood.py
@@ -141,9 +141,13 @@ class AbstractCFood(object):
 
     @staticmethod
     # move to api?
-    def set_property(entity, prop, value):
+    def set_property(entity, prop, value, datatype=None):
         AbstractCFood.remove_property(entity, prop)
-        entity.add_property(prop, value)
+
+        if datatype is not None:
+            entity.add_property(prop, value, datatype=datatype)
+        else:
+            entity.add_property(prop, value)
 
     @staticmethod
     def find_existing(entity):