The Source: Codex Alimentarius
The Codex Alimentarius is the international food standards body (joint FAO/WHO). CXS 192-1995 is the General Standard for Food Additives — it defines:- Which food additives (ingredients) are permitted in which food categories
- Maximum usage levels (mg/kg or GMP)
- Conditions and exceptions that apply to specific permissions
- Which ingredients have blanket GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) permissions
- Which food categories are excluded from GMP treatment
How Permissions Are Resolved
Each permission rule in the platform represents one ingredient permitted in one food category. The platform resolves three things for every rule:Usage Limit Resolved
The raw limit text from the standard is parsed into a structured format — either a specific numeric value (e.g., 500 mg/kg), an open-dose GMP permission, or flagged as requiring review.
GMP Context Resolved
Each rule knows whether its ingredient also has a blanket GMP permission, and whether its food category is on the GMP exclusion list — resolving potential contradictions.
Difficulty Scoring
Every permission rule is scored 0-5 for regulatory difficulty. Each condition adds one point:| Condition | Points |
|---|---|
| No recognizable limit type | +1 |
| Non-numeric limit (GMP/QS) | +1 |
| Contradictory GMP signal (category on exclusion list) | +1 |
| Any regulatory conditions attached | +1 |
| Three or more conditions attached | +1 |
- Easy (0)
- Standard (1-2)
- Complex (3-4)
- Expert Required (5)
Simple numeric rule, no conditions, no conflicts. Fully clear — a manufacturer can use this ingredient at the specified level with confidence.
What Questions It Answers
For Product Development & Formulation
- What ingredients can I use in bread, chocolate, ice cream, ketchup? (57 product types covered)
- What’s the maximum permitted level for this preservative in canned fruit?
- Which ingredients are “easy” to use vs which need expert review?
- Which ingredient functions have the broadest category coverage?
For Regulatory & Compliance
- Is ingredient X permitted in food category Y? At what level?
- Which permission rules have 3+ conditions and need specialist review?
- What’s the full text of a specific regulatory condition?
- How has the standard changed? Which categories had the most new rules recently?
For Business Strategy & Market Entry
- Which food categories are most flexible (most permitted ingredients)?
- Which categories are tightly regulated?
- Where are the low-complexity, high-flexibility zones?
- What’s the commercial opportunity score for each food category?
Data Coverage
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | 306 food additives with INS numbers |
| Food Categories | 266 Codex food categories |
| Permission Rules | 5,100+ resolved rules |
| Product Archetypes | 57 mapped across 10 industries |
| Regulatory Conditions | 834 classified by type (scope, exception, exclusion, basis) |
| Codex Standards | Referenced commodity standards linked to permission rules |