Scoring methodology · Packaged foods
Every food product is evaluated against 4 rules, worth a total of 90 points. Your score is the percentage of points the product earns on what we actually know about it.
Quality score
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
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.
clean_ingredients
No harmful contaminants flagged. Severity- and amount-weighted against food guidelines (per-serving MADL) using the shared food-path penalty math. The single largest pillar of the food score.
lab_indexed
A full third-party lab report has been indexed for this product. Without it, contaminant numbers come from manufacturer-submitted data and the clean-ingredients rule earns no reinforcement.
packaging
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.
recognized_certifications
Product carries at least one recognized third-party certification (USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Glyphosate Residue Free, Regenerative Organic, Fair Trade, Certified Humane, etc.). Binary credit — verification of any one counts.
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.
