Guides
Read any food label
The scoring systems, classifications, and EU labelling rules behind Forkin — explained without the jargon, and without the panic.
- 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 extends it with processing and additive penalties.
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 risk 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.