How the Truvi Score works

The Truvi Score is a number from 0 to 100, higher is better. It is an automated estimate and an opinion, built only from the product label and public food databases, using published food-science systems. It is not a statement of fact about any manufacturer.

The three measures and their weights

  • Processing

    How industrially processed the product is, from its NOVA group plus the additives listed on the label. Additives with published research are named with their citation.

    Source: NOVA classification, Monteiro et al., 2019

  • Nutritional quality

    The official Nutri-Score model: positives (fiber, protein, fruit/veg/legume/nut) minus negatives (energy, sugar, saturated fat, salt), computed in full from the label.

    Source: Nutri-Score 2023 / FSAm-NPS, Santé publique France

  • Fillingness

    Whether the product meets published hyper-palatability thresholds (fat/sugar/salt/carb combinations) and how calorie-dense it is, signals linked in research to eating past fullness. Only applied to processed foods (NOVA 3–4).

    Source: Fazzino et al. 2019 · Rolls/Drewnowski (energy density)

Each measure is put on a 0–100 scale where higher is always better, then combined as a weighted average using the weights shown above. In the app, tap any score to see the exact arithmetic behind it.

Treat scores within about 5 points as the same. The color band matters more than the exact digit.

Bands: 75 and above Excellent, 50 to 74 Good, 25 to 49 Fair, below 25 Bad.

When data is missing

If a measure can't be assessed from the label, its weight is shared across the remaining ones. At least two of the three measures are required, otherwise no score is shown. Truvi never fabricates a number from missing data.

Where the data comes from

For packaged foods sold in the US we use the manufacturer label data published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in FoodData Central where it matches the product. Otherwise the ingredient and nutrition data comes from Open Food Facts, available under the Open Database License. Product photos are by Open Food Facts contributors under CC BY-SA 3.0 and are credited on each page.

Before a product gets a page, its label data has to pass automatic checks: the calories must match the protein, carbohydrate and fat, the values must be plausible for that kind of food, and the ingredient list must be complete. Products that fail get no page.

Report incorrect info

Spotted a wrong score or outdated ingredient list? Tell us and we'll review it. Email [email protected] with the product's barcode. Manufacturers can send label corrections the same way.