A New Standard for Food Transparency

At WISEcode, we know choosing food for yourself and your family can feel overwhelming.

That’s why we designed the new Ingredient Quality (IQ) Score, the easiest, most transparent way to understand what’s really in your food and whether it aligns with your values. The IQ Score helps you navigate the complex world of food choices and dietary requirements. It draws on guidance from responsible organizations and regulatory bodies to ensure consumer safety.

What Is the IQ Score?

The IQ Score is a weighted number rating that focuses on the integrity and transparency of ingredients, emphasizing the presence, quality, and overall risk profile of a food. The IQ Score evaluates not only artificial ingredients but also any food additives or chemicals that could impact health. Instead of making you sift through long ingredient lists or confusing label claims, IQ brings together eight of the most meaningful markers of ingredient quality:

• Banned/Unsafe Ingredients

• Processed Level

• Artificial Colors

• Artificial Preservatives

• Artificial Flavors

• Artificial Sweeteners

• Seed Oils

• Emulsifiers

Each code is carefully chosen and weighted, drawing from leading health evidence and regulatory guidance on which ingredients most impact long-term wellness or risk. All ingredients and additives are reviewed based on scientific evidence, as well as both short-term and long-term studies to assess health risk for humans and the amounts that can be safely consumed. The evaluation process is designed to protect humans from potential health risks associated with food additives. This way, the score helps families easily spot products with a clear, honest ingredient list and avoid those with controversial or overly processed additives.

Understanding Processed Foods

Processed foods are a major part of most people’s diets, showing up everywhere from packaged food and snacks to ready-to-drink beverages and other foods we eat every day. Processing simply means that a food or drink has been altered from its original state, whether by cooking, canning, freezing, or adding substances like preservatives and additives. While processed foods can offer convenience and longer shelf life, it’s important to understand what goes into them.

Many processed foods contain ingredients that can impact our health, such as preservatives and additives designed to improve flavor, texture, or appearance. For example, some sodas and sports drinks may include brominated vegetable oil, a substance that has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

The Role of Food Additives

Food additives are substances added to foods during processing to achieve specific effects, like enhancing flavor, improving texture, or preserving freshness. These additives can come from natural sources, such as plants or animals, or be created synthetically in a lab. Common examples include preservatives like aspartame, which is used as a sweetener, and artificial coloring agents that give foods their vibrant appearance.

While food additives play a key role in making processed foods more appealing and shelf-stable, they can also introduce health risks. Some additives have been linked to negative effects, such as hyperactivity in children or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Because of these potential risks, it’s important for consumers to evaluate the safety of food additives and determine whether they are comfortable including them in their diet. Understanding the role of additives helps us make informed choices about the foods we consume and encourages manufacturers to prioritize safer, higher-quality ingredients.

Health Risks and Other Additives

Beyond the well-known food additives, processed foods often contain other substances that can affect our health. High levels of sugar, salt, and calories are common in many packaged foods and snacks, contributing to an increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and other health problems. Emulsifiers, which are used to improve texture and consistency, are another group of additives that have raised concerns about their impact on gut health and overall wellness.

It’s not just what’s inside the food that matters. Food packaging materials can also introduce toxic substances that may leach into our food and drinks. To minimize these health risks, it’s essential to read food labels carefully, pay attention to ingredient lists, and opt for whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible. Using resources like apps and online databases to search for information about additives and ingredients can empower consumers to make healthier decisions and avoid potentially harmful substances. By staying informed and vigilant, we can better protect our health and the health of our families.

Simplicity, Clarity, and History - All in One Place

• Visual Ratings: Each product scan in the app instantly displays an easy-to-read, color-coded gauge, ranging from Poor to Excellent, so you can see at a glance whether a food is a fit for your household’s standards. The app allows users to scan a barcode to instantly access ingredient and nutrition information.

• Transparency Behind Every Score: Tap in to see exactly which ingredient flags were triggered and why, with a full list of additives you might want to avoid and their roles in your food.

• Improved Scan History: Quickly scroll through your scan history, compare scores, and remember which foods you trusted or didn’t. The app's database stores information about a wide range of foods, including prepared meals, cereals, nuts, and processed food, making it easy to review your choices.

Every IQ scan brings answers you can trust, empowering you to make food choices that honor your life and the well-being of those you love.