Four outcomes, one reading order.
The verdict is a shortcut, not a black box. Every product is read through the same six axes; the decision rule converts red, yellow, green and insufficient flags into a consumer signal.
Zero red axes and fewer than two yellow. Claims and composition broadly align.
Two or more yellow axes. Not an automatic no — worth reading before regular use.
One or more red axes, or materially deceptive marketing. The product page shows the failing axis.
Four or more axes lack evidence — usually a missing back-of-pack label. Submit the label to upgrade the verdict.
How flags become a verdict.
Rules are evaluated top to bottom. The first match decides. The rule is data, not prose — changing it requires a new ratified version.
What we measure.
Each axis has red, yellow and green criteria. Red is a disqualifier; yellow a watch point; green means the product passed that check on available evidence.
≥10g added sugar per 100g (solid) or ≥5g per 100ml (liquid), OR sugar in top-3 ingredients, OR product targets children with sugar in top-5
5–10g per 100g, or sugar in top-5 ingredients
<5g per 100g (solid) / <2.5g per 100ml (liquid), no added sugar in top-5
NOVA Group 4 AND fails any other axis (1, 3, 4, or 5)
NOVA Group 4 with otherwise clean composition, or NOVA Group 3 with marketing claims
NOVA Group 1–2
Detectable partially-hydrogenated oils, OR trans fat >1g per 100g, OR saturated fat >5g per 100g (solid) / >2.5g per 100ml (liquid)
Saturated fat 3–5g per 100g, or single-source refined vegetable oil in a product marketed as premium / natural / healthy
Sat fat <3g per 100g, no trans fat, oil source disclosed clearly
≥625mg sodium per 100g (solid) or ≥300mg per 100ml (liquid)
300–625mg per 100g (solid), 150–300mg per 100ml (liquid)
Below yellow thresholds
Front-of-pack claim contradicted by ingredients/nutrition: 'health drink' with sugar in top-3, '100% natural' with synthetic additives, 'sugar-free' with sugar substitutes >5% calories, unsubstantiated immunity claims, child-targeting with health claim, or active FSSAI/ASCI/NCPCR ruling
Soft framing ('energy', 'active', 'fortified', 'premium') unsupported by composition; palm oil in product marketed as premium/natural/cold-pressed
Claims align with composition AND no active FSSAI/ASCI/NCPCR rulings. Also GREEN if the product is sold without front-of-pack health/marketing claims, or if Tier-A sources (brand site + Indian e-commerce listings) were checked and no deceptive claims were observed. Insufficient is reserved for cases where the brand pages and quick-commerce listings could not be reached.
Recall, ban, court order, or sustained adverse regulatory finding in the last 10 years.
Pending complaint, unresolved advisory, or NCPCR-flagged practice not yet adjudicated or any social media issue, controversy regarding product or brand that surfaced.
Clean public record. No FSSAI recalls, no ASCI upheld complaints, no NCPCR action, no pending court matters. GREEN is the correct flag when FSSAI / ASCI / NCPCR / news searches return no findings — absence of adverse findings IS a clean record. Insufficient is reserved for cases where the registries themselves were unreachable.