Methodology

How BébéDécrypte computes every grade

Every product receives a single A to E grade composed from eight weighted axes tuned for infant nutrition. No human judgement, no sponsor influence, no black-box AI. The algorithm is deterministic and reproducible: same ingredient list, same grade, every time.

The A to E grade at a glance

A

Excellent85-100

B

Good70-84

C

Average55-69

D

Poor40-54

E

Avoid0-39

The eight weighted axes

Each axis is scored from 0 to 100, then multiplied by its weight. The eight contributions are summed to produce the final score. The order below reflects importance for baby food, not alphabetical order.

01
25% of final score

NOVA ultra-processing class

The NOVA classification (University of São Paulo) ranks foods from 1 (unprocessed / minimally processed) to 4 (ultra-processed). For baby food this is the single strongest signal: infant metabolism, microbiota and immune system are in active development, and ultra-processed food is linked to higher risk of later-life metabolic disease. NOVA 1 scores 100 here, NOVA 4 drops to 10 , the steepest drop in our algorithm.

02
25% of final score

Additive risk (EFSA + ANSES, baby-specific)

Every E-number is cross-referenced against the EFSA food additives database and ANSES opinions. Each additive carries a baby-specific risk score from 0 (neutral) to 3 (avoid under 3 years). Penalties are automatically doubled on products targeting under-12-month infants: ANSES has publicly recommended strict limitation of additive exposure before age 3, because infant liver, kidneys and intestinal barrier are still maturing.

03
20% of final score

Added and hidden sugars

We scan the ingredient list for every known added-sugar token: sucrose, glucose syrup, fructose syrup, corn syrup, maltodextrin, dextrose, honey, concentrated fruit juice, agave syrup, rice syrup. A single occurrence triggers a 30-point penalty on products for 12 months and up, 45 points on products for under-12-month infants (honey before 12 months is also a botulism risk). Each additional added-sugar ingredient lowers the score further.

04
10% of final score

Official Nutri-Score (under-weighted)

We use the official Nutri-Score published by Santé publique France as a sanity check on macronutrient balance. It captures positive nutrients (fibre, protein, fruits, vegetables) vs negative ones (saturated fat, sugar, salt). We under-weight it to 10% because the Nutri-Score was designed for the adult diet and does not penalise ultra-processing or additives, which are our top baby-specific concerns. A = 95, E = 15.

05
10% of final score

Organic certification

Certified organic (AB, EU-Organic, Demeter) signals low pesticide exposure and no synthetic fertilisers, which is a measurable benefit for a developing organism. A certified product scores 100 here, a non-certified product scores 40. Organic is also 7x more represented in the French baby-food market than in overall food , parents are willing to pay for that signal, we reward it.

06
5% of final score

Allergen transparency

We reward clear, up-front allergen declaration and penalise ambiguous traces listed everywhere on the label. A product with a clean declaration and no "may contain" hedging scores higher than one that lists six hypothetical allergens to escape liability. Parents need actionable information, not a legal shield.

07
3% of final score

Manufacturing origin

Made in France adds traceability, shorter supply chains and tighter EU regulatory oversight. A product with a "Made in France" or equivalent label scores 100 here, Made in Europe scores 70, unspecified origin scores 40. This is a minor axis (3%) but it pushes the score on tight ties.

08
2% of final score

Recipe simplicity

For baby food, fewer ingredients is almost always better. A pot with 3 ingredients (carrots, water, lemon juice) beats a pot with 14 ingredients including thickeners, flavour enhancers and vitamin premix. 3 ingredients or fewer: 100. 5: 85. 8: 65. 12: 45. 18+: 25. Minor axis (2%) but a strong signal on processing craft.

Automatic baby-specific weighting

On any product targeting under-12-month infants, the algorithm automatically tightens two axes: the per-additive penalty is nearly doubled, and the added-sugar penalty jumps from 30 to 45 points on the first detected sweetening ingredient. Honey on a product for under 12 months triggers an explicit warning (infant botulism risk, ANSES and WHO stance). Infant cereals enriched with sugar and flavoured follow-on formulas cannot reach A without reformulation.

Full formula

Score = 25% · NOVA
      + 25% · Additifs EFSA (baby-tuned)
      + 20% · Sucres ajoutés
      + 10% · Nutri-Score
      + 10% · Bio
      + 5% · Allergènes
      + 3% · Origine
      + 2% · Simplicité

Weights are public. Any change is versioned and announced in the journal. Same composition = same grade. Each product page exposes the eight sub-scores, you can recompute by hand.

Surfaced warnings

Even on a product with an average grade (C), some signals deserve an explicit warning on the page:

  • Palm oil detected
  • Maltodextrin (hidden sugar)
  • Honey before 12 months (botulism risk)
  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
  • Risky additives (ANSES-flagged)
  • High free sugars (≥ 10 g / 100 g)
  • High salt (≥ 0.75 g / 100 g)
  • Active recall (RappelConso / DGCCRF)

Our official sources

  • Open Food Facts European collaborative database, ODbL licence, ~2,300 FR baby food products.
  • EFSA European Food Safety Authority, additives registry, scientific opinions, rolling reevaluation.
  • ANSES French national food safety agency, INCA 3 studies, infant nutrition opinions.
  • ESPGHAN European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, complementary-feeding guidelines.
  • NOVA Ultra-processing classification, University of São Paulo.
  • RappelConso / DGCCRF Official French product recall feed, daily sync.
  • Nutri-Score Official FR nutrition logo, Santé publique France.
  • OMS International guidance on infant and young-child feeding.

What we do NOT do

  • No payment to change a grade : no brand can buy an upgrade, ever, no exception.
  • No opaque scoring : every axis, weight, penalty and warning is visible on every product page.
  • No moral judgement : we rate a composition against official sources, not a brand, a packaging, or a parenting style.
  • No individualised medical advice : our grades are informational. For allergic backgrounds, growth monitoring, CMPA or special diets, consult your paediatrician. BébéDécrypte is not a medical practice.

Updates and revisions

Our product database is synced with Open Food Facts every week. The RappelConso / DGCCRF recall feed is synced daily: any recalled product is flagged within an hour. When a brand changes its formulation or an EFSA / ANSES opinion revises an additive, affected grades are recomputed automatically. The algorithm revision history is public.