Transparency
At BetterBite, we believe you deserve to understand exactly how our assessments work. This page explains our methodology, data sources, and the principles that guide our analysis. We are committed to transparency, scientific rigor, and continuous improvement.
Important Notice
BetterBite is an informational platform designed to help consumers make more informed choices. Our transparency scores and analyses are not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with qualified healthcare professionals, registered dietitians, or physicians. Individual dietary needs, health conditions, and nutritional requirements vary significantly.
A Transparency Score is our composite assessment of a product's nutritional profile, ingredient composition, and processing level. It is not a medical rating or a definitive health judgment — it is an informational tool designed to make complex nutritional data more accessible.
Score Scale
Our scoring algorithm considers multiple dimensions of a product's composition:
Each ingredient is individually assessed based on regulatory status, published research, and known nutritional properties.
Macronutrient balance including sugar, sodium, saturated fat, fiber, and protein content per 100g serving.
NOVA classification system indicating the degree of industrial processing (1 = unprocessed, 4 = ultra-processed).
European nutritional quality scoring system that considers both positive (fiber, protein) and negative (sugar, sodium) factors.
Whether ingredients are permitted, restricted, or banned across regulatory bodies (FSSAI, FDA, EFSA).
Number and nature of food additives, preservatives, colorings, and flavor enhancers present in the product.
We rely exclusively on publicly available, authoritative data sources. We do not fabricate or invent claims.
Open Food Facts
Global, collaborative database of food product data with over 3 million products
World Health Organization (WHO)
Global health guidelines on sugar, sodium, and nutritional recommendations
FSSAI (India)
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India — regulatory standards and additive approvals
FDA (USA)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration — GRAS status, additive regulations, nutritional guidelines
EFSA (Europe)
European Food Safety Authority — scientific opinions on food additives and nutritional claims
PubMed / Published Literature
Peer-reviewed scientific research on ingredient safety, nutritional science, and dietary epidemiology
To maintain scientific integrity and legal compliance, BetterBite adheres to strict content principles:
We do NOT provide medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment recommendations
We do NOT claim that any product causes or cures specific diseases
We do NOT use language like "dangerous", "toxic", or "unsafe" to describe food products
We do NOT make absolute health claims — all assessments are informational and evidence-based
We do NOT replace the guidance of qualified healthcare professionals or registered dietitians
We do NOT guarantee the accuracy of manufacturer-declared product data
We believe in being transparent about the limitations of our platform:
Product formulations may change without notice — always verify against current packaging
Nutritional data may have regional variations that we cannot always capture
Our AI analysis is based on pattern recognition and published data — it has inherent limitations
Some ingredient research is still evolving — scientific consensus may change over time
Individual health responses to ingredients vary significantly based on genetics, allergies, and medical conditions
Our database may not include every product available in every market
Every claim is grounded in published research and regulatory data
We educate and inform — we never use fear or sensationalism
We actively update our data and methodology as science evolves
This methodology document is periodically updated to reflect improvements in our scoring algorithm and new data sources. Last updated: May 2026.