How to read a European food label: the definitive 2026 decoder

Q: Is Nutri-Score mandatory anywhere in the EU?

Not yet. Nutri-Score is voluntary in all 27 EU member states. France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, Austria, Romania, and Switzerland (non-EU) have officially recommended it, and many manufacturers have adopted it voluntarily. The European Commission has been studying a harmonized mandatory EU front-of-pack labeling scheme since 2020, but Italian opposition (which prefers the alternative NutrInform Battery scheme) and industry lobbying have delayed any decision. Realistic timeline: 2027 at the earliest.

Q: What is the difference between "best before" and "use by"?

These are two legally distinct date mentions per Regulation 1169/2011. "Best before" (Date de Durabilite Minimale, DDM): quality date. After this date, the product can still be safely consumed if storage conditions were respected, but quality (taste, texture, nutritional value) may decline. Examples: pasta, rice, canned goods, biscuits. "Use by" (Date Limite de Consommation, DLC): safety date. After this date, the product is no longer safe to consume due to microbiological risks (Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli). Examples: fresh meat, fresh fish, fresh dairy, ready meals. In 2024, ADEME (French environmental agency) estimated that 30% of food waste in France is due to consumer confusion between these two dates. The European Commission has proposed reforming the date system in 2026 to reduce waste.

Q: Are GMO ingredients labeled in European products?

Yes, mandatory. Per Regulation EC 1829/2003 and Regulation EC 1830/2003, any food product containing more than 0.9% GMO ingredients must be labeled. The label must include "genetically modified" or "produced from genetically modified" next to the ingredient. Important exceptions: Animal products (meat, milk, eggs) from animals fed GMO feed do not require GMO labeling. This is a major regulatory gap that the European Commission has refused to close despite consumer demand. Products containing less than 0.9% GMOs (presumed accidental contamination) do not require labeling. GMO-free labeling ("sans OGM" in France) is voluntary and regulated by national rules (Decree 2012-160 in France).

Q: How are additives labeled? What do E numbers mean?

European food additives are regulated by Regulation EC 1333/2008. They must be labeled either by their functional category (e.g., "preservative", "antioxidant", "colorant") and either: Their E number (e.g., E330 for citric acid), or Their specific name (e.g., "citric acid") The E system runs from E100-E199 (colorants) through E200-E299 (preservatives), E300-E399 (antioxidants), E400-E499 (thickeners/stabilizers/emulsifiers), E500-E599 (anti-caking agents), E600-E699 (flavor enhancers), E900-E999 (sweeteners and other), E1000+ (modified starches and others). Currently around 320 additives are authorized in the EU. The ANSES, EFSA, and ECHA continuously reassess them. Recent examples of changes: E171 (titanium dioxide): banned in food since August 2022 E338-E452 (phosphates): under reassessment for children E951 (aspartame): classified "possibly carcinogenic" by IARC in July 2023, EFSA opinion maintained NutriDecrypte rates each additive based on EFSA, ANSES, and ECHA assessments, flagging those with safety concerns.

TL;DR

Regulation EU 1169/2011 (INCO) sets the legal baseline: mandatory nutrition declaration per 100g, allergens in bold, ingredient list in descending weight order, QUID (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration) for highlighted ingredients.
Nutri-Score is voluntary in 11 EU countries (France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Portugal, Slovenia, Austria, Romania), graded A (best) to E (worst), based on positive and negative nutrients per 100g.
NOVA classification is not on the label but scientifically distinguishes 4 groups, from unprocessed (Group 1) to ultra-processed (Group 4). Group 4 represents 50%+ of UK and 60% of US daily calorie intake (BMJ 2024).
Allergens (14 mandatory) must appear in bold or different font in the ingredient list, per EU Regulation 1169/2011 Annex II. Includes gluten, milk, eggs, nuts, fish, crustaceans, soy, sesame, mustard, celery, lupin, molluscs, sulphites, peanuts.
NutriDecrypte analyzes 230+ data points per product across 13 official sources (EFSA, ANSES, INSERM, ECHA, WHO, INRAE) to give you a complete decoder beyond what regulations require.

You stand in a European supermarket aisle. The cereal box claims "high in fiber", "source of vitamins", and shows a smiling kid on the front. Flip it: the ingredient list runs 18 lines, the Nutri-Score is C (or absent), the protein content per portion looks impressive but the portion size is 30g. Three competing pieces of information, and none of them tells you the most important thing: should you buy this product?

European food labeling is the most regulated in the world, with Regulation EU 1169/2011 (the INCO Regulation) setting strict mandatory requirements since December 2014. Yet despite this density of information, 62% of European consumers report difficulty understanding food labels (Eurobarometer 2024). The reason is simple: regulation forces transparency, but it does not force clarity. Manufacturers comply with the letter while exploiting every grey zone.

This guide is the definitive 2026 decoder for European food labels. We cover every mandatory mention, the optional schemes (Nutri-Score, NOVA), the 14 allergens, the QUID rule, and the 5 most common manufacturer traps. With direct references to EU regulations, EFSA opinions, and ANSES recommendations. By the end, you will read any European food label like a regulatory inspector. And if you want a one-tap analysis of any product, NutriDecrypte scans 230+ data points across 13 official sources and tells you instantly what the label hides.

The legal backbone: Regulation EU 1169/2011 (INCO)

Every food label sold in the European Union (and the European Economic Area) must comply with Regulation EU 1169/2011, known as the INCO Regulation (Information to Consumers). In force since 13 December 2014 (mandatory nutrition declaration since 13 December 2016), it harmonizes labeling rules across 27 member states plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

What the INCO regulation makes mandatory

The regulation lists 12 mandatory mentions that must appear on every pre-packaged food product:

Sales name (legal denomination): describes what the product actually is, not just its brand name. "Cheese spread with cream and mushrooms" is the sales name, not "Le Petit Snack".
Ingredient list: all ingredients listed in descending order of weight at the time of incorporation. The first ingredient is the heaviest, the last is the lightest. Critical insight: if "sugar" is in position 1 or 2 of a "healthy" product, it tells you something.
Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID): when an ingredient is highlighted on the packaging (image, name, marketing claim), its percentage must be declared. "Pizza with mushrooms": the mushroom percentage must appear.
Allergens: 14 mandatory allergens must be highlighted in bold, italics, or different background color in the ingredient list. See dedicated section below.
Net quantity: weight or volume of the product (excluding packaging).
Best-before date (date de durabilite minimale) or use-by date (date limite de consommation, for perishable products).
Storage conditions and conditions of use if necessary.
Name and address of the operator placing the product on the EU market.
Country of origin: mandatory for fresh meat (beef, pork, poultry, sheep, goat), unprocessed fruits and vegetables, eggs, wine, olive oil, and fish. Voluntary but regulated for other products.
Instructions for use if necessary.
Alcoholic strength for beverages > 1.2% alcohol.
Nutrition declaration (mandatory since December 2016): energy value (kJ and kcal), fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, salt, all per 100g or 100ml. Optional: per portion, fiber, vitamins, minerals.

Where these mentions must appear

The INCO regulation also specifies the layout requirements:

Minimum x-height of 1.2 mm for all mandatory mentions (0.9 mm for packages under 80 cm2 of surface)
Same visual field for sales name, net quantity, and alcoholic strength (i.e., visible simultaneously without rotating the package)
Legible contrast between text and background (no white-on-pale-yellow tricks)

The "dark patterns" of compliant labeling

Manufacturers comply with INCO while exploiting every grey zone:

Sales name buried at the back in 1.5 mm font while the brand name dominates the front in 8 mm
Front-of-pack claims ("source of fiber", "rich in protein") prominently displayed, while the ingredient list with red flags is on the back in small print
Portion size manipulation: presenting nutrition data per 30g portion to make sugar content look low, when no consumer actually eats 30g of cereal
Origin obfuscation: "Made in EU" when the raw material is from a third country, "Packed in France" when production happens elsewhere

Nutri-Score: the front-of-pack labeling system

The Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack nutrition label developed by French public health researchers (Serge Hercberg, EREN/INSERM) and officially recommended by Sante Publique France since October 2017. It is voluntary at the EU level but adopted by 11 countries.

How Nutri-Score works

The system grades products on a 5-letter scale, from A (dark green) to E (dark red), based on a single nutritional score calculated per 100g or 100ml:

Negative points (0 to 40, more is worse):

Energy density (kJ/100g)
Saturated fats (g/100g)
Sugars (g/100g)
Sodium (mg/100g, expressed in salt equivalent)

Positive points (0 to 15, more is better):

Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts (% of product weight)
Fiber (g/100g)
Protein (g/100g)

Final score = negative points minus positive points. The lower the score, the better the grade:

A: score from -15 to -1
B: score from 0 to 2
C: score from 3 to 10
D: score from 11 to 18
E: score from 19 to 40

The 2024 algorithm update

In March 2024, the Nutri-Score algorithm was updated based on EFSA recommendations and 5 years of feedback. Major changes:

Wholegrain bread: better recognized (more positive points for fiber and whole grains)
Dairy products: stricter rules on added sugars and saturated fats (yogurts with added sugar move from A to C or D)
Sweetened beverages: harsher penalty (most sodas and energy drinks now E)
Fish and seafood: salt content is more penalized

The new algorithm took effect on 31 December 2024 in France, Belgium, and Germany. Other countries followed in 2025.

Where Nutri-Score is mandatory or voluntary

As of 2026, Nutri-Score is:

Voluntary at EU level (no harmonized regulation yet)
Adopted nationally in 11 countries: France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland (non-EU), Portugal, Slovenia, Austria, Romania
Mandatory in no country (voluntary scheme, but pressure to adopt is intense)
Opposed by Italy (which prefers its own NutrInform Battery scheme) and some Eastern European countries

The European Commission has been working on a harmonized EU front-of-pack labeling regulation since 2020, originally targeted for 2022, then 2024, now postponed to 2026 or later due to Italian opposition and industry lobbying.

Strengths and limitations of Nutri-Score

Strengths:

Simple, visual, easy to compare products in the same category
Based on per-100g data, not portion-manipulated
Algorithm transparent and peer-reviewed
Demonstrated impact on consumer behavior (multiple INSERM studies)

Limitations:

Does not consider processing level (ultra-processed foods can still score A or B)
Does not consider additives (a product full of E numbers can score A)
Does not consider pesticides, organic certification, or origin
Single-criterion focus on macronutrients

For these reasons, NutriDecrypte complements Nutri-Score with NOVA classification, additive analysis, and 230+ data points from 13 official sources.

NOVA classification: the scientific gold standard for processing

The NOVA classification is not on European food labels (yet), but it is the scientific reference used by researchers, public health agencies, and increasingly by regulators to assess food processing levels.

Developed by Carlos Monteiro and his team at the University of Sao Paulo in 2009, NOVA classifies food into 4 groups based on the nature, extent, and purpose of industrial processing.

The 4 NOVA groups

Group 1: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods

Fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, eggs, milk, fresh meat, fish, grains
Minimal processing: cleaning, drying, fermentation, pasteurization, refrigeration
No added salt, sugar, or other industrial substances
Example: fresh apple, brown rice, plain Greek yogurt, raw almonds

Group 2: Processed culinary ingredients

Substances extracted from Group 1 foods or from nature, used to cook
Salt, sugar, honey, oils, butter, vinegar
Not consumed alone, used to season or cook Group 1 foods
Example: olive oil, salt, sugar

Group 3: Processed foods

Group 1 foods combined with Group 2 ingredients
Usually 2-3 ingredients, recognizable from kitchen use
Industrial processes: cooking, fermentation, smoking, canning
Example: canned tomatoes (tomatoes + salt), salted nuts, traditional cheese, freshly made bread

Group 4: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs)

Industrial formulations with 5+ ingredients, usually including substances rarely or never used in domestic kitchens
Additives like emulsifiers (E471, E472, E322), modified starches, hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, flavor enhancers (E621), artificial colors
Designed for hyper-palatability, long shelf life, and addictive consumption
Example: industrial bread, breakfast cereals, sweetened yogurt, instant soups, soft drinks, packaged snacks, processed meat

Health impact of ultra-processed foods

The scientific evidence on ultra-processed foods (Group 4) has accumulated rapidly since 2018:

29% higher all-cause mortality in high consumers (BMJ 2024 meta-analysis of 23 studies)
31% increased risk of type 2 diabetes (ANSES 2023, NutriNet-Sante cohort)
20% higher risk of cardiovascular disease (NutriNet-Sante 2019)
25% reduced gut microbiome diversity (Nature 2022, microbiome study)
18% increased markers of systemic inflammation (ANSES 2023)
Strong link with obesity: causal mechanisms include hyperpalatability, addictive properties, low satiety per calorie

In France, ultra-processed foods represent 31% of daily calorie intake (INCA 4 study, 2024). In the UK, 57% (BMJ 2024). In the US, 60% in children (CDC 2023). This is the dietary transition of the 21st century.

Will NOVA appear on European labels?

Not yet, but pressure is building.

France: bill discussed in 2024 to make NOVA labeling mandatory on processed foods, currently in committee
Brazil: NOVA is already integrated into the Brazilian dietary guidelines (2014)
EFSA: launched a scientific opinion on UPF classification in 2024, expected publication late 2026
European Commission: studying NOVA integration in the future EU front-of-pack labeling regulation

In the meantime, NutriDecrypte computes NOVA classification automatically for every product scanned, giving you the processing level information that regulations do not yet require.

The 14 mandatory allergens: how they must appear

The 14 mandatory allergens of EU Regulation 1169/2011 Annex II must be highlighted in the ingredient list through bold, italic, or different background color. Their presence and quantity must be declared regardless of amount.

The complete list of 14 mandatory allergens

Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut, and their hybrids) and products thereof
Crustaceans (shrimp, prawn, lobster, crab, crayfish) and products thereof
Eggs and products thereof
Fish and products thereof
Peanuts and products thereof
Soybeans and products thereof
Milk (including lactose) and products thereof
Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia) and products thereof
Celery and products thereof
Mustard and products thereof
Sesame seeds and products thereof
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre (expressed as SO2)
Lupin and products thereof
Molluscs (mussels, snails, octopus, squid, oysters, scallops) and products thereof

How allergens must be displayed

Per Regulation 1169/2011, allergens must be visually distinct from the rest of the ingredient list. Acceptable methods:

Bold: "ingredients: flour (wheat), water, milk, salt"
Italic: "ingredients: flour (wheat), water, milk, salt"
Different background color or font color
Underline

A common failure: allergen highlighted only in the ingredient list of one language in a multi-language label, missing in others. This is a non-compliance violation.

Cross-contamination warnings ("may contain")

The famous "may contain" warnings are voluntary. There is no EU regulation requiring or standardizing them. The European Commission published guidance in 2018 recommending operators to only use this mention when they have done a real risk assessment, not as a "blanket protection" against legal liability.

In practice, "may contain traces of" mentions are inflated. Allergy patient organizations (AFPRAL in France, Anaphylaxis Campaign in UK) recommend treating them with caution but not as automatic exclusion criteria.

Allergen alerts and RAPEX

When a non-conformity is detected, the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) issues an alert. In 2024, 2 847 RASFF allergen alerts were issued across the EU, mostly for undeclared milk, gluten, or nuts. Public database: webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window.

QUID: the quantitative ingredient declaration rule

The QUID rule (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration) is one of the most powerful tools the INCO regulation gives consumers, and one of the most ignored.

When QUID is mandatory

Per Article 22 of Regulation 1169/2011, the percentage of an ingredient must be declared when:

The ingredient appears in the sales name of the product. "Strawberry yogurt" must declare strawberry percentage.
The ingredient is highlighted on the label through text, pictures, or graphics. A picture of mushrooms on a pizza box requires mushroom percentage on the label.
The ingredient is essential to characterize the food, distinguishing it from similar products.

Real-world examples

"Strawberry yogurt" with QUID 8%: only 8 grams of strawberry per 100 grams of yogurt, the rest being milk, sugar, water, thickeners, flavors, and red colorant.

"Mushroom pizza" with QUID 12%: 12 grams of mushroom per 100 grams of pizza, often less than the tomato sauce.

"Cookies with chocolate chips" with QUID 25%: 25% chocolate, but the chocolate itself may contain only 30-40% cocoa, so actual cocoa content is around 7-10%.

"Beef lasagna" with QUID 18% beef: 18 grams of beef per 100 grams of finished product, often less than pasta and sauce.

What QUID does not tell you

QUID is a percentage by weight at the time of incorporation, not after cooking. Water loss, fat absorption, and reactions during cooking can shift these percentages. Also, QUID does not tell you the quality of the ingredient (strawberry pulp vs. strawberry concentrate vs. strawberry flavor with red dye).

For a complete picture, NutriDecrypte cross-references QUID with the full ingredient list, processing level, and additive profile.

The 5 most common label traps and how to spot them

Trap 1: "No added sugar" with fructose or fruit juice concentrate

The claim "no added sugar" is regulated (Regulation EC 1924/2006). It means no sucrose, glucose, fructose, or honey has been added to the product, and the only sugars present are naturally occurring in the ingredients.

But: manufacturers can add fruit juice concentrates (apple juice concentrate, grape juice concentrate), which are technically "naturally occurring" sugars but functionally identical to added sugar. A "no added sugar" cereal bar can contain 25-30g of sugar per 100g if fruit concentrates are abundant.

How to spot: read the ingredient list. If you see "concentrated apple juice", "concentrated grape juice", "fruit concentrate", "date paste" high in the list, the "no added sugar" claim is misleading.

Trap 2: "Source of fiber" or "high in fiber" with synthetic fibers

The claims "source of fiber" (3g fiber per 100g minimum) and "high in fiber" (6g fiber per 100g) are regulated by Regulation 1924/2006.

But: nothing requires the fibers to be natural. Manufacturers can use isolated and synthetic fibers (inulin, polydextrose, chicory root extract, oat bran isolate) to boost fiber content cheaply. These ingredients have variable health benefits compared to natural fibers from whole grains, legumes, and vegetables.

How to spot: if "inulin", "polydextrose", "chicory root extract" appear high in the ingredient list while the main carbohydrate source is refined flour or sugar, the fiber claim is technical, not nutritional.

Trap 3: Portion size manipulation

European nutrition labels must show data per 100g or 100ml (mandatory) but can also show data per portion (optional). Manufacturers consistently use unrealistic portion sizes to make their products look better:

Breakfast cereals: 30g portion (real consumption: 60-80g)
Ice cream: 50g portion (real consumption: 100-150g)
Chips: 25g portion (real consumption: 50-100g)
Cookies: 25g portion (1-2 cookies, real consumption: 3-6)

How to spot: always read the per-100g column, not the per-portion column. Then estimate your real consumption.

Trap 4: Front-of-pack health halos

"Naturally", "traditional", "farm-style", "country", "grand-mere" (grandmother), "artisanal" are not regulated for processed foods. Any product can use them.

"Bio" or "organic" is regulated (Regulation EU 2018/848) and requires certification by accredited bodies (AB in France, GB-ORG-05 in UK pre-Brexit, etc.).

"Made in France" or "produced in France" is partially regulated. It can mean the product was packaged in France, even if all the raw materials come from elsewhere. The mention "Origine France" is stricter and requires the main raw material to be French.

Trap 5: "Natural flavors" vs. "natural" ingredients

"Natural flavor" (arome naturel) is regulated by Regulation EC 1334/2008. It means the flavoring substance is obtained from a natural source (plant, animal, microbial) through physical, enzymatic, or microbiological processing.

But: a "natural strawberry flavor" does not require strawberries. It can be made from any natural source as long as it tastes like strawberry. The famous "natural raspberry flavor" is sometimes derived from beaver castor sacs (castoreum), wood pulp, or other unrelated sources.

If you want real strawberry, look for "strawberry" or "strawberry puree" as the actual ingredient, not "strawberry flavor".

FAQ: Decoding European food labels in 2026

1. Is Nutri-Score mandatory anywhere in the EU?

Not yet. Nutri-Score is voluntary in all 27 EU member states. France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, Austria, Romania, and Switzerland (non-EU) have officially recommended it, and many manufacturers have adopted it voluntarily. The European Commission has been studying a harmonized mandatory EU front-of-pack labeling scheme since 2020, but Italian opposition (which prefers the alternative NutrInform Battery scheme) and industry lobbying have delayed any decision. Realistic timeline: 2027 at the earliest.

2. What is the difference between "best before" and "use by"?

These are two legally distinct date mentions per Regulation 1169/2011.

"Best before" (Date de Durabilite Minimale, DDM): quality date. After this date, the product can still be safely consumed if storage conditions were respected, but quality (taste, texture, nutritional value) may decline. Examples: pasta, rice, canned goods, biscuits.
"Use by" (Date Limite de Consommation, DLC): safety date. After this date, the product is no longer safe to consume due to microbiological risks (Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli). Examples: fresh meat, fresh fish, fresh dairy, ready meals.

In 2024, ADEME (French environmental agency) estimated that 30% of food waste in France is due to consumer confusion between these two dates. The European Commission has proposed reforming the date system in 2026 to reduce waste.

3. Are GMO ingredients labeled in European products?

Yes, mandatory. Per Regulation EC 1829/2003 and Regulation EC 1830/2003, any food product containing more than 0.9% GMO ingredients must be labeled. The label must include "genetically modified" or "produced from genetically modified" next to the ingredient.

Important exceptions:

Animal products (meat, milk, eggs) from animals fed GMO feed do not require GMO labeling. This is a major regulatory gap that the European Commission has refused to close despite consumer demand.
Products containing less than 0.9% GMOs (presumed accidental contamination) do not require labeling.

GMO-free labeling ("sans OGM" in France) is voluntary and regulated by national rules (Decree 2012-160 in France).

4. How are additives labeled? What do E numbers mean?

European food additives are regulated by Regulation EC 1333/2008. They must be labeled either by their functional category (e.g., "preservative", "antioxidant", "colorant") and either:

Their E number (e.g., E330 for citric acid), or
Their specific name (e.g., "citric acid")

The E system runs from E100-E199 (colorants) through E200-E299 (preservatives), E300-E399 (antioxidants), E400-E499 (thickeners/stabilizers/emulsifiers), E500-E599 (anti-caking agents), E600-E699 (flavor enhancers), E900-E999 (sweeteners and other), E1000+ (modified starches and others).

Currently around 320 additives are authorized in the EU. The ANSES, EFSA, and ECHA continuously reassess them. Recent examples of changes:

E171 (titanium dioxide): banned in food since August 2022
E338-E452 (phosphates): under reassessment for children
E951 (aspartame): classified "possibly carcinogenic" by IARC in July 2023, EFSA opinion maintained

NutriDecrypte rates each additive based on EFSA, ANSES, and ECHA assessments, flagging those with safety concerns.

5. What does "country of origin" really tell me?

Per Regulation EU 1337/2013 and various amendments, country of origin labeling is mandatory for:

Fresh and frozen meat (beef, pork, poultry, sheep, goat) since 2015
Fresh fruits and vegetables since 2014
Fish and seafood since 2001
Wine since long-standing regulation
Olive oil since 2009
Eggs since 2003

For other processed foods, origin labeling is voluntary but regulated when used. The mention "made in EU" or "produced in EU" is permitted but vague. "Origine France" or similar must follow strict national rules (in France, Decree 2002-1 requires the main ingredient to be French).

Big regulatory gap: processed foods (e.g., frozen meals, ready-to-eat products, dairy products) often do not show the origin of their main raw materials. A frozen lasagna sold in France can contain Brazilian beef, Spanish tomatoes, and Polish cheese, with only "Packed in France" on the label.

Conclusion: how NutriDecrypte changes the game

European food labels in 2026 are the most regulated in the world. Yet despite Regulation EU 1169/2011, Nutri-Score, mandatory allergens, QUID rules, and dozens of other provisions, 62% of European consumers struggle to make informed choices (Eurobarometer 2024). The reason: regulation forces transparency, but it does not force clarity. Manufacturers comply with the letter while exploiting every grey zone.

The labels tell you what is in the product (ingredient list), how it is balanced nutritionally (Nutri-Score), and whether it contains allergens (bold text). They do not tell you the processing level (NOVA), the additive risk profile (EFSA reassessments), the origin of every component (gap for processed foods), or the contextual claims (greenwashing).

NutriDecrypte fills these gaps. By analyzing 230+ data points per product across 13 official sources (EFSA, ANSES, INSERM, ECHA, WHO, INRAE, IARC, Sante Publique France, Food Standards Agency, FDA, JECFA, USDA, EU regulatory database), we give you the complete picture: Nutri-Score, NOVA classification, additive risk profile, allergens, origin transparency, and our independent NutriDecrypte score.

Download NutriDecrypte for free on App Store and Google Play, or browse the database at nutridecrypte.fr. Become a label-reading expert in one tap.