Method

Step 1: work out the ingredient score

  • a score of 0, or 1 classifies the product as not UPF, and no further assessment is offered by this method

  • a score of 2 or more classifies the product as UPF, and the assessment continues with the next steps

Step 2: work out the saturated fat, sugar & salt score

Step 3: use the chart to identify the UPF category

How it works:-
The Chart

This chart displays our two parameters for determining the ultraness of food products:-

  • ingredient score

  • saturated fat, sugar & salt (SFSS) score

Plus how they interact to determine the UPF category:-

  • 1: low ultraness - yellow

  • 2: medium ultraness - orange

  • 3: high ultraness - pink

  • 4: maximum ultraness - blue

The UPF Ingredient List

These words have been carefully chosen to capture as many of the characteristic UPF ingredients as possible without being excessively complicated

The Ingredient Score

  • Find the ingredients list on the product packaging

  • Identify those words that are on the UPF Ingredient List

  • Count the number of times any of these words appear

  • An ingredient score of 2 or more classifies the product as UPF

The SFSS Score

  • Find the nutritional information on the product packaging

  • Look for the figures per 100g or 100ml

  • Note the values for the saturated fat, sugar and salt

  • Add these values together to give one result

  • In this example, the relevant numbers are identified and highlighted in yellow

  • The saturated fat is 6.3

  • The sugar is 3.0

  • The salt is 1.6

  • Adding these together gives a result of 10.9, so the SFSS score is 10.9

  • In this example, the relevant words are identified and highlighted in yellow

  • The number of words highlighted is 7, so the ingredient score is 7

An Example

  • Here the chart is marked with a cross to indicate where our two example scores intersect

  • This gives us a UPF category of 2, or medium ultraness for our example product

The Name

  • This method has been devised by our founder

  • We think it's right to acknowledge this by naming it after them

  • Henceforth it will be known as the Dutton UPF Classification System, or DUCS

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