Response Fields
What the API returns for recipes, supplies and products: CO₂ values and ratings, the Vita Score, environmental indicators and nutrient values. The fields per resource are listed on Recipes, Supplies and Products.
CO₂ and Ratings
CO₂ Metrics
The recipe-level fields (co2-value, rating, eaternity-award, improvement and reduction values) are described under Response Properties.
Rating Scale
| Rating | CO₂ per Portion | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | ≤ 400g | Excellent - Very low environmental impact |
| B | 401-600g | Good - Low environmental impact |
| C | 601-1000g | Average - Moderate environmental impact |
| D | 1001-1500g | Below Average - High environmental impact |
| E | > 1500g | Poor - Very high environmental impact |
Ingredient Response Fields
These fields are returned for each ingredient when full-resource=true:
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
rating | string | CO₂ rating for this ingredient (A-E). A is best, E is worst. |
co2-value | integer | Absolute CO₂ emissions for the ingredient in grams for the specified amount |
co2-value-improvement-percentage | float | Comparison of this ingredient's CO₂ footprint per food unit to the average |
co2-value-reduction-value | float | Grams of CO₂ saved compared to an average product providing the same nutritional value |
bar-chart | number | Percentage contribution of this ingredient to total recipe CO₂ (0-100) |
foodUnit | number | Nutritional density value used for CO₂ per nutrition calculations |
nutrient-values-estimated-per-specified-amount | object | Backend-estimated nutrient values for the specified amount (when nutrient-values=true is set) |
indicators | object | Environmental indicators for this ingredient (when indicators=true is set) |
foodUnit Explained
The foodUnit represents the nutritional value of a food item, used to calculate CO₂ emissions per unit of nutrition rather than per gram. This ensures fair comparison between foods with different caloric densities.
Vita Score
The Vita Score rates nutritional quality on an A-E scale based on health risk factors.
Core Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
vita-score-points | number | Total points (lower is healthier) |
vita-score-rating | string | Rating A (healthiest) to E |
vita-score-award | boolean | true if recipe achieves A or B rating |
energy-kcals | number | Total calories |
nutrition-label | boolean | true if nutritionally balanced |
Risk Factor Fields
Each risk factor has two fields: {factor}-risk-factor-amount-gram (amount) and {factor}-risk-factor-points (health impact points).
| Risk Factor | Healthy Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|
fruit | More is better | Fruit content |
vegetable | More is better | Vegetable content |
wholegrain | More is better | Whole grain content |
nuts-seeds | More is better | Nuts and seeds |
milk | Moderate | Dairy products |
processed-meat | Less is better | Processed meat products |
red-meat | Less is better | Red meat content |
salt | Less is better | Sodium content |
Macronutrient Risk Points
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
high-in-energy-risk-factor-points | Points for high calorie density |
high-in-fat-risk-factor-points | Points for high fat content |
low-in-fat-risk-factor-points | Points for insufficient fat |
high-in-protein-risk-factor-points | Points for excess protein |
low-in-protein-risk-factor-points | Points for insufficient protein |
Environmental Indicators
Additional environmental impact metrics beyond CO₂. Enable with indicators=true.
All calculations use Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology following ISO 14040/14044 standards, with peer-reviewed scientific data covering the complete supply chain from farm to plate.
CO₂ Interpretation
CO₂ values measure total greenhouse gas emissions in grams of CO₂-equivalent, including CO₂, methane (CH₄, 28x more potent), and nitrous oxide (N₂O, 265x more potent). The rating bands per portion are in the Rating Scale.
Major emission sources: Agriculture (40-70%), Animal Production (20-50%), Transport (5-15%), Processing (5-10%), Storage (2-5%).
Water Footprint
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
scarce-water-liters | number | Liters of scarce water used |
water-footprint-rating | string | A-E rating for water use |
water-footprint-award | boolean | true for excellent water efficiency |
water-footprint-improvement-percentage | number | % better than average |
water-footprint-reduction-value | number | Liters saved vs average |
| Water per Portion | Category |
|---|---|
| < 100L | Very low |
| 100-500L | Low |
| 500-1000L | Moderate |
| 1000-2000L | High |
| > 2000L | Very high |
Animal Treatment
Assessment of animal welfare standards for animal-derived ingredients.
| Rating | Description | Standards |
|---|---|---|
excellent | Highest welfare standards | Free-range, organic, certified humane |
good | Above-average welfare | Cage-free, enriched housing |
medium | Standard practices | Conventional farming |
poor | Below standard welfare | Intensive/factory farming |
very-poor | Welfare concerns | Cramped conditions, no outdoor access |
not-applicable | No animal products | Vegan/vegetarian items |
Rainforest Impact
Risk of deforestation associated with ingredients.
| Rating | Risk Level | Common Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
very-low | Negligible risk | Local vegetables, grains |
low | Minimal risk | Certified sustainable palm oil, cocoa |
medium | Moderate risk | Some tropical fruits, nuts |
high | Significant risk | Uncertified palm oil, beef from Brazil |
very-high | Severe risk | Soy from deforested areas |
Biodiversity Impact
Effect on ecosystems and species diversity.
| Rating | Impact | Contributing Factors |
|---|---|---|
very-low | Minimal impact | Organic, diverse cropping, habitat-friendly |
low | Low impact | Sustainable practices, crop rotation |
medium | Moderate impact | Conventional monoculture |
high | Significant impact | Pesticide-intensive, habitat destruction |
very-high | Severe impact | Large-scale monoculture, deforestation |
Energy Consumption
Total energy use throughout the supply chain, measured in Megajoules (MJ) per portion.
| Energy per Portion | Category |
|---|---|
| < 1 MJ | Very low |
| 1-3 MJ | Low |
| 3-6 MJ | Moderate |
| 6-10 MJ | High |
| > 10 MJ | Very high |
Soil Impact
Effect on soil health and degradation.
| Rating | Impact | Practices |
|---|---|---|
very-low | Soil building | Regenerative agriculture, no-till |
low | Minimal degradation | Organic, cover crops |
medium | Some degradation | Conventional farming, rotation |
high | Significant degradation | Intensive monoculture, heavy tillage |
very-high | Severe degradation | Erosion-prone practices |
Sustainability Labels
Each indicator has a {name}-label (boolean) and {name}-rating (A-E):
| Indicator | Label Meaning | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
rainforest | Deforestation-free | Avoids rainforest destruction |
animal-treatment | Welfare certified | Meets animal welfare standards |
season | In season | Ingredient is in season locally |
local | Locally produced | Produced within region |
Nutrient Values
The same nutrient fields are used in requests (nutrient-values) and in responses (nutrient-values-estimated-per-specified-amount, nutrient-values-estimated-per-recipe-portion). In requests all are optional; provide what you have.
Basic Macronutrients
| Field | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
energy-kcal | kcal | Energy in kilocalories |
energy-kjoule | kJ | Energy in kilojoules |
fat-gram | g | Total fat |
saturated-fat-gram | g | Saturated fat |
monounsaturated-fat-milligram | mg | Monounsaturated fat |
polyunsaturated-fat-milligram | mg | Polyunsaturated fat |
cholesterol-milligram | mg | Cholesterol |
carbohydrates-gram | g | Total carbohydrates |
sucrose-gram | g | Sugars |
protein-gram | g | Protein |
fibers-gram | g | Dietary fiber |
water-gram | g | Water content |
sodium-chloride-gram | g | Salt |
alcohol-volume-percent | % | Alcohol content |
Vitamins
| Field | Unit | Vitamin |
|---|---|---|
vitamine-a1-microgram | mcg | Vitamin A (retinol) |
vitamine-b1-microgram | mcg | Vitamin B1 (thiamine) |
vitamine-b2-microgram | mcg | Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) |
vitamine-b6-microgram | mcg | Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) |
vitamine-b12-microgram | mcg | Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) |
vitamine-c-milligram | mg | Vitamin C |
vitamine-d-microgram | mcg | Vitamin D |
vitamine-e-microgram | mcg | Vitamin E (tocopherol) |
vitamine-h-microgram | mcg | Vitamin H (biotin) |
vitamine-k-microgram | mcg | Vitamin K |
beta-carotene-milligram | mg | Beta-carotene |
niacin-milligram | mg | Niacin (B3) |
pantohen-milligram | mg | Pantothenic acid (B5) |
folic-acid-microgram | mcg | Folic acid (B9) |
Minerals
| Field | Unit | Mineral |
|---|---|---|
sodium-milligram | mg | Sodium |
potassium-milligram | mg | Potassium |
chlorine-milligram | mg | Chlorine |
calcium-milligram | mg | Calcium |
magnesium-milligram | mg | Magnesium |
phosphorus-milligram | mg | Phosphorus |
iron-milligram | mg | Iron |
zinc-microgram | mcg | Zinc |
copper-microgram | mcg | Copper |
manganese-microgram | mcg | Manganese |
flouride-microgram | mcg | Fluoride |
iodine-microgram | mcg | Iodine |
Other Compounds
| Field | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
purine-milligram | mg | Purine content |
uric-acid-milligram | mg | Uric acid |
The data sources behind these values are described in Methodology › Data Sources.