A plain-language overview of the WISEcode Standard v1.0 (Feb 13, 2026).
What is the WISEcode Standard?
The WISEcode Standard is a public specification that defines what "ultra-processed" actually means at the ingredient level. It establishes the methodology behind WISEcode UPF™ (Wc-UPF), the score you see in the WISEcode App and on Non-UPF Verified™ packaging.
Why was it created?
The Foreword of the Standard notes that today there is no single U.S. or globally accepted definition of ultra-processed food, leaving the American consumer "navigating a marketplace without a compass." Federal agencies including HHS, FDA, and USDA have recently moved toward a national standard, but no unified definition yet exists. The Standard was created to fill that gap with a practical, ingredient-level tool for everyday shopping.
What's wrong with simply using NOVA?
NOVA was the first major system to define UPF, but the Standard's Foreword argues that in the United States — where roughly 80% of food is packaged — applying NOVA strictly "breaks the grocery store" by treating simple crackers and complex chemical formulations as equally problematic. NOVA tells you whether a food is industrially processed; the WISEcode Standard asks what it's actually made of.
How does it work, in one paragraph?
Per Section 1.2, every ingredient is evaluated individually and assigned a processing weight of 0, 1, 2, or 3 based on degree of processing and potential health concern. The base score is the sum of those weights. A sugar penalty is added based on the percentage of calories from added sugar, and a separate +16 "Super-Ultra" penalty is applied when any Level 4 / Unique Ingredient of Concern (UIC) is present. The total becomes the Wc-UPF score.
The five tiers at a glance
Per Section 2.1 of the Standard:
- Minimal — Score 0–3
- Light — Score 4–6
- Moderate — Score 7–10
- Ultra — Score 11–15
- Super-Ultra — Score >15, or any Unique Ingredient of Concern present
How is the Standard maintained?
Section 9 establishes the Standard as a "living document." A 25-scientist Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) convenes annually to review new safety and health data, and every classification change is recorded in a public Change Log with citations.
Where can I read the full Standard?
The complete specification (v1.0) is available as a public PDF on wisecode.ai.
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