Updated 5 October 2026

How FoodClear Score works

One versioned, deterministic method. A useful explanation even when a number is unavailable.

Score V1 uses a 0–100 scale. It allocates up to 60 points to declared nutrition and 40 points to the ingredient declaration. It evaluates available formulation information; it is not a medical, food-safety, toxicological or laboratory measurement.

Nutrition: up to 60 points

The method starts at 60 and subtracts linear, capped amounts for declared sugars, saturated fat and salt. General solid foods and drinks use separate thresholds on a qualified per-100 g or per-100 ml basis.

Score V1 nutrition deductions
Input	Solids: lower → upper	Drinks: lower → upper	Maximum deduction
Sugars	5 → 22.5 g/100 g	2.5 → 11.25 g/100 ml	24
Saturated fat	1.5 → 5 g/100 g	0.75 → 2.5 g/100 ml	18
Salt	0.3 → 1.5 g/100 g	0.3 → 0.75 g/100 ml	18

At or below the lower value there is no deduction; at or above the upper value the maximum applies. Values between them are proportional. This is FoodClear’s rubric, not an official nutrition grade.

Ingredients: up to 40 points

Only three reviewed classes affect the ingredient component: added sweetening (added sugar, non-sugar sweeteners or polyol sweeteners) subtracts 16 points, added flavouring 6, and added colour 4. Each class is deducted once, even when several members occur. These formulation classes do not establish toxicity or the amount present. Allergens, seed oils, emulsifiers and printed package warnings do not add separate ingredient deductions in V1.

The two components are added and rounded to a whole number. V1’s current deductions make 14–100 reachable; 0–100 is the scale. At least 80 is “Favourable profile”, 60–79 “Mixed profile”, and below 60 “Less favourable profile”. These are formulation descriptions, not personal recommendations.

When there is no score

The method needs qualified product kind, complete source-bound ingredients and supported nutrition inputs with the correct basis and preparation state. Missing, stale, conflicting or unqualified inputs produce a stated No Score reason. Infant/baby food, supplements and unsupported categories do not receive a general V1 number. No missing value is replaced with zero.

Facts, attention and uncertainty

Myself/Child and selected allergens reorder supported attention; they do not change Score V1. A match retains its source wording and limitations. A printed “may contain” statement is a precaution, not detection. Community confirmation applies to supported fields, not authenticity or manufacturer approval. Findings and their reasons can be shown without a score.

V1 uses deterministic FoodClear rules. External language-model calls are disabled. The method does not guarantee allergy safety, food safety, disease prevention or suitability for a child. Check the current package.

See data sources and licences for provenance and source obligations.