How we score

Jjikmeok's score is a guide for choosing between similar products. All additives used in Korea are approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and used within legal limits. A low score doesn't mean a food is unsafe to eat.

1. Nutrition grade (60%)

We follow the European Nutri-Score (2017 general food rules). Calories, sugars, saturated fat and sodium per 100 g lower the grade; fiber and protein raise it. The result is A (best) to E.

• Points per grade: A 95, B 78, C 55, D 32, E 12
• Drinks use a different scale, so we don't grade them yet.
• If the label lists values per serving or per pack, we convert them to per 100 g.

2. Additives (40%)

We start at 100 and subtract 25 for each additive to check and 8 for each one to note. Common additives don't affect the score.

• Check: official action by a foreign regulator or international body, e.g. synthetic colors that need an EU warning label, titanium dioxide (banned in the EU), BHA (IARC Group 2B), sodium nitrite in processed meat, partially hydrogenated oil (trans fat).
• Note: debated in research or relevant to specific people, e.g. artificial sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K, aspartame), sulfites, carrageenan, phosphates.
• Common: good to know, e.g. flavorings, gums, lecithin, MSG (JECFA found no need to set an acceptable daily intake).

3. Final score

With both nutrition facts and ingredients we combine 60% nutrition + 40% additives. With only one, we use that one and say so on the page.

• 75 and above: Good · 50–74: OK · 25–49: Not great · below 25: Poor
• ‘Watch out’ and ‘Good points’ use the UK FSA front-of-pack traffic-light thresholds per 100 g (drinks per 100 ml).

4. Allergens

We match words in the ingredient list against Korea's 22 labeled allergens: egg (poultry), milk, buckwheat, peanut, soybean, wheat, mackerel, crab, shrimp, pork, peach, tomato, sulfites, walnut, chicken, beef, squid, shellfish (incl. oyster, abalone, mussel) and pine nut. Notes like “made in the same facility” are shown separately. Word matching can miss or over-match.

Automatic analysis can miss allergens. If you have an allergy, always check the package label.

5. Diet check (pork, alcohol, vegetarian, vegan, beef)

For visitors who can't read Korean labels, we flag ingredient words from the label. This is not halal, vegetarian or vegan certification.

• Pork & alcohol: pork words (돼지고기, 돈지/라드 lard, 돈골 pork bone, 베이컨 bacon…), gelatin stated as pork, and alcohol words (주정 ethyl alcohol, 청주, 맛술/미림 mirin, 와인 wine, 소주…). Gelatin or collagen with no stated source, other meats (slaughter method unknown), ham/sausage and wine vinegar are marked Check label. If nothing is found we say “No pork or alcohol ingredients found (not halal-certified)” — never “halal”.
• Vegetarian: meat, fish and seafood (including extracts such as 멸치 anchovy, 가쓰오부시 bonito, 어간장 fish sauce, 새우 shrimp), gelatin and collagen.
• Vegan: everything above plus egg, milk, honey and insect-derived colors (cochineal, shellac).
• Beef: beef, beef bone (사골), beef tallow (우지) and gelatin stated as beef; gelatin of unstated source is marked Check label.
• Names that are only a flavor (e.g. 새우맛 “shrimp flavor”) are marked Check label, because the flavor may or may not come from the animal.

6. Translation

Ingredient lists are translated with a fixed dictionary of common Korean label words; we never use paid translation or AI at view time. Words not in the dictionary stay in Korean (gray), and each page shows roughly what share of the text was translated. Product names stay in Korean with a simple romanization to help you match the package.

7. Data sources

Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Safety Korea Open API, Food Nutrition DB and FoodQR (data.go.kr). Some product data comes from Open Food Facts (ODbL); product images are by Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA). Source data may contain errors.

Corrections or removal requests: ghgud2402@gmail.com

These criteria may change with new research or regulation. The Korean page is the original.