What is the Processing Score?
Our Processing Score measures how much a food has been transformed from its natural state. It starts at 1.0 for a single ingredient and has no upper bound; the highest score anywhere in our catalog today is 105.3.
A higher Processing Score does not mean a food is bad for you. It describes how a product is made, not whether it fits your diet. Some higher-scoring foods, like many breads, are everyday staples; some lower-scoring foods are not nutritious at all. That is exactly why we report a separate Nutrition Score alongside it, and leave the choice to you.
Unlike other systems that rely on categories, we calculate exact scores based on:
- Ingredient count: More ingredients = higher processing
- Processing indicators: Artificial additives, preservatives, HFCS
- Manufacturing complexity: Modified starches, hydrogenated oils
- Chemical additives: Colors, flavors, emulsifiers
Score Distribution
20.9%
of products
Level 1 (≤2.5)
27.3%
of products
Level 2 (≤5.0)
24.0%
of products
Level 3 (≤8.0)
27.8%
of products
Level 4 (>8.0)
How Processing Scores Are Calculated
How It Works
The score reads two things off the label. The first is how many ingredients a product lists. The second is which of those ingredients fall into the industrial classes in the table below. A longer list moves a product up the scale, and so does each class we find in it.
Penalty Categories
Penalty categories by impact level
What This Means in Practice
The number exists to rank one product against another, which is the only way to read it. In our analysis Produce averages 3.05 and Bakery averages 11.35, and the whole scored catalog averages 6.5.
A product with few recognizable ingredients and no artificial additives scores at the low end of the scale.
A product with many ingredients, including artificial colors, HFCS and preservatives, scores high.
The more industrial additives present, the higher the cumulative score.
Processing Levels Explained
Level 1: Minimally Processed (≤2.5)
20.9% of products. Single ingredients or minimally processed foods with 2-3 simple ingredients. No artificial additives or complex processing.
Examples from our database:
Level 1 example products with processing and nutrition scores
Level 2: Processed (≤5.0)
27.3% of products. Foods with simple processing like canning, freezing, or basic preparation. May contain salt, sugar, or natural preservatives.
Examples from our database:
Level 2 example products with processing and nutrition scores
Level 3: Highly Processed (≤8.0)
24.0% of products. Products with multiple processing steps and some artificial ingredients. May contain preservatives, stabilizers, or flavor enhancers.
Examples from our database:
Level 3 example products with processing and nutrition scores
Level 4: Ultra-Processed (>8.0)
27.8% of products. Industrial formulations with multiple artificial additives, preservatives, and ingredients not found in home kitchens. High levels of processing.
Examples from our database:
Level 4 example products with processing and nutrition scores
Common Processing Indicators
These ingredients significantly increase processing scores and are found in thousands of products:
Most Common Artificial Ingredients
Most common artificial ingredients with average processing score
High-Penalty Preservatives
High-penalty preservatives with average processing score
Processing Scores by Food Category
Average processing scores vary significantly by food category, revealing patterns in industrial food production:
Average processing and nutrition scores by food category
Key insights: Bakery has the highest average Processing Score of these groups (11.35), while Produce sits at the other end (3.05). Snacks & Candy is the largest group here, at 115,036 scored products.
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Tips for Finding Lower Processing Scores
Shopping Strategies
- Shop the perimeter. Fresh produce, dairy, and meat typically have lower scores
- Read ingredient lists. Shorter lists usually mean lower processing
- Avoid HFCS. High fructose corn syrup adds significant processing penalty
- Look for single ingredients. Nuts, oils and plain grains sit at the floor of the scale, 1.0
Red Flags to Watch For
- Artificial colors/flavors. Major processing score penalties
- BHA, BHT preservatives. Industrial antioxidants with high processing penalties
- Hydrogenated oils. Trans fats and high processing scores
- Long ingredient lists. The catalog averages 15.2 ingredients per product; well above that usually means ultra-processing
Processing Score Targets
≤2.5
Excellent Choice
Minimally processed
≤5.0
Good Choice
Basic processing
≤8.0
Moderate Choice
Some artificial ingredients
>8.0
Limit Intake
Ultra-processed