Know What's Really in Your Food: AI Food Ingredients Scanner & Additive Checker

How the Food Ingredients Scanner Reads Order of Predominance

Under global labeling mandates established by the US FDA (21 CFR 101.4), the European Union (FIC Regulation 1169/2011), and China (GB 7718), packaged food ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance by weight at the time of formulation. When reviewing a label, the first three ingredients generally constitute the overwhelming majority (70% to 85%) of total food mass.

CleanLabel’s AI food ingredients scanner analyzes positional hierarchy to determine whether a product's primary foundation consists of wholesome, unadulterated raw ingredients (such as whole cow's milk, whole grain oats, or fresh fruit puree) or ultra-processed filler ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, modified food starches, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. For practical tips when grocery shopping, read our consumer guide on how to choose whole-wheat bread.

Clean Label 4-Tier Health Index: Grades A, B, C, and D

To assist shoppers in making instant, confident dietary choices, our algorithm categorizes scanned items into four evidence-based health tiers. Detailed criteria can be examined in our clean label rating methodology:

• Grade A (Pure & Natural · Clean Label): Completely free of artificial food additives, chemical preservatives, synthetic dyes, and artificial sweeteners. Formulated exclusively with whole agricultural foods, gentle botanical extracts, and essential vitamins or minerals. Examples include 100% cold-brewed green tea, organic rolled oats, and pure Greek yogurt.
• Grade B (Lightly Processed · Safe Processing Aids): Contains minimal, technologically indispensable processing aids with comprehensive safety profiles, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sunflower lecithin (natural emulsifier), or citric acid (natural fruit acid). Zero synthetic azo colorants.
• Grade C (Moderately Processed · Common Dietary Concerns): Contains conventional industrial preservatives (e.g., potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate) or significant quantities of added refined sugars and maltodextrin. Parents and health-conscious consumers are encouraged to moderate consumption frequency. Learn more in our guide on kids yogurt and snacks.
• Grade D (Ultra-Processed · Multi-Additive Stacking): Characterized by extensive chemical additive stacking (more than 5 functional additives), including artificial food dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5), intense synthetic sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose), flavor enhancers (monosodium glutamate E621, disodium ribonucleotides), and hydrogenated vegetable fats.

Cross-Jurisdiction Comparison: China GB 2760-2024 vs. US FDA Standards

International food standards reflect different regulatory philosophies. For example, under the newly promulgated China GB 2760-2024 (Standards for Uses of Food Additives), sodium dehydroacetate (脱氢乙酸钠)—a widely used preservative—has been completely banned from bakery products, bread, and pastries due to long-term cumulative toxicity risks. In contrast, under US FDA CFR Title 21 regulations, chemical preservatives and food dyes remain under active re-evaluation, as seen with the recent California Food Safety Act (AB 418) restricting Red Dye No. 3 and potassium bromate.

CleanLabel empowers consumers and cross-border families to instantly identify which ingredients comply with US FDA, European EFSA, or Chinese GB 2760 frameworks. Review full legal citations in our regulatory standards and medical disclaimer.

Common Food Additives Reference & Safety Classifications

Below is an overview of high-frequency food additives monitored by our food additives checker: