Scoring methodology · Dairy

How we score dairy

Every dairy product is evaluated against 5 rules, worth a total of 100 points. Your score is the percentage of points the product earns on what we actually know about it.

Active version: 2026.06.05

Quality score

Earned out of possible

Each rule contributes points up to a known maximum. We sum them, divide by the total possible, and that's the headline number on the product.

Unknowns

No data earns no points

If we couldn't verify an attribute, that rule earns zero. Brands aren't rewarded for non-disclosure, and we don't fill the gap with a guess.

The rules

5 rules · 100 points possible

Clean ingredients

clean_ingredients

max · 60% of score

No harmful contaminants flagged. Severity- and amount-weighted against per-serving food guidelines.

Citation: EPA / FDA MADL limits per contaminant.
Inputs read: ingredients

Lab data indexed

lab_indexed

max · 15% of score

A full third-party lab report has been indexed. Dairy benefits from independent testing for pesticide and antibiotic residues.

Citation: Oasis editorial — proxy for testing transparency.
Inputs read: is_indexed

Packaging

packaging

max · 10% of score

Container material. Glass jars and paperboard score at the top; PET / polystyrene / generic plastic at the bottom. Generic "container" / "bottle" with no material signal lands mid-tier.

Citation: Mason et al. (2018) microplastics in food packaging.
Inputs read: packaging

Recognized certifications

recognized_certifications

max · 5% of score

Recognized third-party certification (USDA Organic, Certified Humane, Regenerative Organic, etc.).

Citation: Oasis editorial — recognized third-party programs.
Inputs read: certifications

Dairy quality

dairy_quality

max · 10% of score

For dairy: grass-fed (+3), certified organic (+3), rBST-free or no-added-hormones (+3), certified humane (+1). For plant-based products, this rule reports "Plant-based (N/A)" with a neutral 5/10 — non-dairy products are not penalized for not being dairy.

Citation: Benbrook (2018) grass-fed dairy fatty-acid profile; rBST/rBGH literature.
Inputs read: metadata.is_grass_fed, metadata.is_organic, metadata.hormone_use, metadata.is_certified_humane, metadata.milk_source, metadata.product_type, name

Found something wrong?

Scoring is a function applied to evidence. If you think a rule fired on the wrong evidence, the per-product breakdown shows the source for every contribution — each one is challengeable. The methodology itself is version-controlled and evolves in public.