This glossary provides clear definitions for the technical terminology used within the WISEcode scoring framework, to ensure consistency for staff and informed transparency for consumers.
Ingredient Classifications
Canonical Name: The standardized, unique scientific or common name assigned to an ingredient for accurate identification (e.g., using "sucrose" or "sugar" consistently to avoid brand-name confusion).
Compound Ingredient: An ingredient that is itself composed of two or more sub-ingredients, such as "soy sauce" or a "seasoning blend."
Industrial Ingredient: Substances produced at scale through chemical reactions, fractionation, or refining that are typically not replicable in a domestic kitchen.
Synthetic Substance: A substance not found in nature, or a chemically identical version of a natural substance produced via chemical synthesis rather than extraction.
Unique Ingredient of Concern (UIC): High-risk ingredients (e.g., Red 40, Titanium Dioxide) that trigger an automatic "Super-Ultra" classification due to safety or toxicity concerns.
Scientific & Technical Terms
Added Sugar Load: The specific percentage of total energy (calories) in a food product derived from added sugars.
Food Matrix: The physical and chemical structure of a food — including how nutrients are arranged — which dictates how the body digests and absorbs it.
Fractionation: A process used to separate ingredients into different portions or "fractions" (e.g., separating protein from a whole grain or oil from a seed).
Hydrolyzed Starch: A starch that has been chemically or enzymatically broken down to make it easier to digest, often found in more highly processed foods.
Imputation: A data-cleansing method used to estimate missing values (like added sugar content) using category averages or validated databases when the information isn't on the label.
Traditional Methods: Processing techniques with long histories of safe use that preserve the food matrix, such as grinding, fermenting, drying, or pressing.
Comparison of Processing Levels
| Level | Weight | What it covers | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — Fortificant, unprocessed or minimally processed | 0 | Whole foods and ingredients made with traditional methods (washing, freezing, milling, fermenting), plus essential vitamins, minerals and recognized fibers. | Canned tomatoes, frozen berries, flour, olive oil. |
| Level 2 — Isolated or refined | 1 | Purified fractions of whole foods or bioidentical synthetics without significant health concerns. | Sugar, starch, refined seed oils, citric acid. |
| Level 3 — Industrial or controversial | 2 | Functionally modified, synthetic (non-bioidentical) or undisclosed ingredients, often additives for color, flavor or shelf life. | Modified starch, hydrolyzed starch, natural flavor, potassium sorbate. |
| Level 4 — Ultra-processed ingredients of concern | 3, plus the +16 Super-Ultra flag | Unique Ingredients of Concern from Schedule 1: tied to serious health concerns or banned, restricted or heavily regulated in major markets. | Red 40, titanium dioxide, BHA, partially hydrogenated oils. |
Looking for platform terms instead — Portfolio states, Fix Groups, Library, Marketplace? See WISEcode AI Terminology.
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