Scoring methodology · Snacks
Every snack product is evaluated against 8 rules, worth a total of 135 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 snack 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.
ingredient_count
Snacks with shorter ingredient lists score higher (NOVA-style ultra-processing proxy). 1–3 ingredients earns full credit; 4–7 partial; 8–15 reduced; 16+ minimal. Products that list zero ingredients (data gap) earn the smallest credit because the underlying composition is unverifiable.
added_sugar
Per-serving added-sugar content. ≤2 g earns full credit; 2–8 g partial; 8–15 g reduced; >15 g zero. When the product discloses only "Total Sugars" we fall back to that (less precise — naturally-occurring sugars count too). When neither is disclosed the rule earns the unknown-credit tier.
sodium
Per-serving sodium content. ≤140 mg ("low sodium") earns full credit; 140–400 mg partial; 400–600 mg reduced; >600 mg zero.
saturated_fat
Per-serving saturated fat. ≤3 g earns full credit; 3–8 g partial; 8–15 g reduced; >15 g zero. When undisclosed we credit conservatively (most snacks are low / no animal fat).
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.
