How are food products rated?

Nutrition is the largest part of the score. When Open Food Facts provides a Nutri-Score grade or point value, PandaWise maps it onto a 0–100 nutrition axis. Nutri-Score is a science-based label used in several European countries. It balances helpful nutrients (protein, fiber, fruit and vegetable content) against nutrients to limit (sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and energy).

When Nutri-Score is missing, PandaWise estimates nutrition from the available label data. The nutrition axis does not start from an arbitrary middle score — products with little nutritional value (such as sugar-sweetened sodas) can score low, while whole foods with meaningful fruit or vegetable content can receive a modest boost when saturated fat and calories stay reasonable.

This axis reviews identified additives and selected ingredient patterns against PandaWise’s evidence database. Benchmarks draw on public regulatory reviews (including EFSA where available), French ANSES monitoring lists, independent research, and Open Food Facts additive taxonomy metadata.

Each reviewed item is assigned a risk level shown in the app:

• PandaWise maintains a curated database of food additives plus evidence-backed entries prioritized from public regulatory signals. Additives not yet fully reviewed may still receive a conservative penalty based on available EFSA and ANSES data.
• Selected ingredient text patterns (such as hydrogenated oils) are flagged even when they are not listed as E-number additives.
• Multiple concerns stack, with the strongest finding weighted most heavily. Beverages receive a slightly stronger penalty because additives are consumed in liquid form.
• Products with many flagged ingredients can receive a lower ingredient-axis cap (for example, three or more concerns limit the ingredient score).
• A high-risk additive lowers the overall score by 20 points, and each additional high-risk additive lowers it by another 10. That penalty applies on top of nutrition, so a nutritionally poor product with a high-risk additive can score 0.
• A few high-severity evidence flags can also cap the entire PandaScore at 49, even when nutrition looks strong.
• Ultra-processed products (NOVA group 4) with four or more ingredient concerns may receive an additional overall-score reduction.
• An ultra-processed product is not rated above its nutrition score when that nutrition score is already below Fair. A clean additive list cannot lift a nutritionally poor ultra-processed food into a higher band.

Risk explanations and source links for individual additives are available on each product’s detail page inside the app.

Single-ingredient spices, dried herbs, and similar seasonings are labeled in the app but are not assigned a PandaScore because nutrition and additive rules designed for prepared foods do not apply fairly to pantry spices. Dietary supplements are treated the same way.

Processing reflects how industrially formulated a product is. When Open Food Facts includes a NOVA group, that classification is used directly. Otherwise PandaWise estimates processing from the ingredient list, looking for markers such as modified starches, protein isolates, artificial colors, and similar formulation signals.

Processing markers explain the classification; they are not ingredient safety ratings on their own.

Organic is a small bonus added after the weighted score is calculated, not a separate weighted pillar:

• +3 points for verified organic certification on the label.
• +1 point when organic is indicated in the product name or brand.

Organic labeling can reflect reduced reliance on certain synthetic pesticides, but PandaWise still evaluates nutrition and ingredients independently.