Data Dictionary

This reference explains the key metrics and fields you’ll encounter across the Food Additives platform dashboards.

Datasets

The core dataset. Each row represents one ingredient permitted in one food category.

Field	Description
Ingredient	The food additive name (e.g., “Citric Acid”, “Carrageenan”)
INS Number	International Numbering System identifier (e.g., INS 330)
Food Category	The Codex food category where this ingredient is permitted
Usage Limit	Maximum permitted level — either a numeric value (mg/kg), “Open dose (GMP)”, or “Excluded”
Conditions	Regulatory conditions or exceptions that apply to this specific permission
Difficulty	Rating from Easy (0) to Expert Required (4-5) based on regulatory complexity

One row per ingredient, summarizing its regulatory footprint.

Field	Description
Ingredient	The food additive name
Category Reach	How many food categories this ingredient is permitted in (higher = more versatile)
Condition Burden	Average number of conditions per category where this ingredient appears
Difficulty Score	Average regulatory difficulty across all permitted categories
Functional Class	Primary function (e.g., Preservative, Emulsifier, Color)

One row per food category, summarizing regulatory characteristics.

Field	Description
Food Category	The Codex food category name
Formulation Flexibility	How many ingredients are permitted in this category (higher = more flexible)
Condition Density	Average conditions per ingredient in this category
Difficulty Tier	Overall regulatory difficulty classification

One row per ingredient-product combination, designed for formulation planning.

Field	Description
Product Type	The product archetype (e.g., Bread, Ice Cream, Ketchup)
Industry	The industry group this product belongs to
Ingredient	Permitted ingredient name
Usage Limit	Human-readable limit (e.g., “Max 500 mg/kg”, “Open dose (GMP)“)
Difficulty	Easy, Standard, Complex, or Expert Required
Conditions	Any applicable regulatory conditions

Available on Premium and Enterprise tiers only.

One row per food category, scored for commercial potential.

Field	Description
Food Category	The Codex food category name
Opportunity Score	0-100 composite score (higher = greater commercial potential)
Opportunity Tier	High, Medium, or Low based on the score

Opportunity Score weighting:

Factor	Weight	What it measures
Regulatory Difficulty	30%	Categories with higher difficulty = harder for competitors to enter
Expert Review Rate	25%	Proportion of rules requiring specialist interpretation
Category Reach	20%	Number of ingredients available for formulation
Condition Burden	15%	Density of regulatory conditions
Standards Coverage	10%	Number of Codex standards referencing this category

Term	Definition
Codex Alimentarius	International food standards body (joint FAO/WHO). The Food Additives platform digitizes CXS 192-1995, the General Standard for Food Additives.
INS Number	International Numbering System — a unique identifier assigned to each food additive by Codex
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice)	When no numeric limit is set, ingredients must be used at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice — the minimum needed to achieve the desired effect
Open dose	Synonym for GMP-level permission — no fixed maximum, use responsibly
Difficulty Score	0-5 scale measuring how complex the regulatory permission is to interpret. Accounts for vague limits, multiple conditions, and conflicting rules
Category Reach	Number of distinct food categories where an ingredient is permitted. Higher reach = more versatile ingredient
Formulation Flexibility	Number of distinct ingredients permitted in a food category. Higher flexibility = more formulation options
Condition	A regulatory note attached to a permission — may restrict scope, add exceptions, or define specific use cases