Guides
Read any food label
The scoring systems, classifications, and EU labelling rules behind Forkin — explained without the jargon, and without the panic.
- Labels9 min read
How to read a food label: the EU nutrition table, ingredient list and reference intakes explained
What every part of an EU food label actually means — the mandatory nutrition declaration, the 'per 100 g vs per portion' trap, % reference intakes, how the ingredient list is ordered, QUID percentages, and where additives and allergens appear.
Read the guide → - Labels9 min read
Food label claims decoded: what 'low fat', 'no added sugar', 'high fibre' and 'natural' legally mean
Which words on a food pack are legally defined and which are pure marketing. The EU thresholds behind 'low fat', 'no added sugar', 'high in fibre', 'source of protein', 'light' and 'reduced', why health claims must be EFSA-authorised, and why 'natural', 'clean' and 'wholesome' mostly mean nothing.
Read the guide → - Scores8 min read
How to read a Nutri-Score: the 2023 algorithm explained
What the A–E Nutri-Score letters actually measure, what changed in the 2023 update, what the score deliberately ignores, and how Forkin builds a separate Forkin Score from the public base plus disclosed processing and additive concern adjustments.
Read the guide → - Scores8 min read
NOVA groups explained: what “ultra-processed” actually means
The NOVA classification sorts food by industrial processing, not nutrients. What the four groups mean, how to recognise group 4 on a label, where the system is criticised, and how Forkin estimates NOVA from ingredient lists.
Read the guide → - Additives9 min read
E-numbers explained: how EU food additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned
What an E-number actually certifies, how EFSA sets acceptable daily intakes, why approved additives still get re-examined or banned (like E171 in 2022), and how to read additive concern levels without panic or complacency.
Read the guide → - Allergens8 min read
The 14 EU allergens: what must be declared on labels — and what doesn't have to be
EU law requires 14 allergens to be emphasised in every ingredient list. The full list, the loopholes ('may contain' is voluntary), the hidden-source traps like casein and lupin flour, and how to use allergen data safely.
Read the guide →
Look something up instead
The additive index covers every E-number with its function, regulatory status, and how often it appears across Forkin's product catalogue. The methodology page documents the exact scoring formulas.