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Glossary of Terms

This glossary defines the key terms and concepts used throughout the Eaternity documentation and the Environmental Operating System (EOS) platform. Terms are organized alphabetically for easy reference.

EOS Platform Terminology

This glossary covers EOS platform and system terminology — terms you'll encounter when using Eaternity products and documentation.

For the comprehensive LCA Food Glossary with 168,000+ food classification terms from FoodEx2, Ecoinvent, Agribalyse, and other scientific databases, see the Reference Glossary.

A​

Activity​

The act of doing within a temporal interval. This includes both human activities (e.g., production, consumption, and market activities) and environmental mechanisms (e.g., radiative forcing, pollination). An activity roughly corresponds to a unit process as defined in the ISO 14044 standard but may also indicate a reservoir, stock, or natural process such as dissolution into fresh water. Activities are connected to entities that are produced (output) or consumed (input) or stored within an activity (e.g., stock) called "Flows". Flows and Activities are hence organized in a Graph.

Agribalyse​

A French Life Cycle Assessment database focused on agricultural and food products. Maintained by ADEME, it provides environmental data for French food supply chains.

API (Application Programming Interface)​

The points of interaction between different components of the EOS system or between the system and external entities. The public API of EOS allows external systems to interact with and access EOS functionalities.

Synonyms: Interface

AYCE (All You Can Eat)​

This model may require special considerations for environmental impact calculations due to potential food waste and overconsumption. Also refers to Eaternity's initiative "All You Can Eat for Climate" and platform for promoting climate-friendly food choices. See ayce.earth.

B​

Benchmark​

A reference value used for comparison. In EOS, benchmarks represent average environmental impacts for product categories, enabling relative ratings.

C​

Carbon Footprint​

The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product, measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (kg CO₂e). Includes emissions from production, processing, transport, and disposal.

Characterization​

Based on the individual contributions of elementary resources and flows summed up for the end product, a characterization allows understanding the impact regarding an impact indicator (e.g., climate impact) by weighing individual factors by their importance. The standard set of characterizations is provided by ecoinvent. The step in Life Cycle Impact Assessment that converts Life Cycle Inventory results into common impact indicators (e.g., converting methane to CO₂ equivalents).

Synonyms: Life Cycle Assessment Impact Indicator

CO₂e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent)​

A standardized unit for measuring greenhouse gas emissions. All greenhouse gases are converted to their CO₂ equivalent based on their Global Warming Potential (GWP).

CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive)​

A European Union directive that requires large companies to regularly publish detailed reports about their environmental and social impact. EOS data supports CSRD compliance for food-related reporting.

D​

DFU (Daily Food Unit)​

Eaternity's standardized unit representing the average daily food consumption per person. Used for normalizing environmental impact comparisons.

E​

EDB (Eaternity Database)​

The comprehensive database used by EOS, containing information about food products, ingredients, and their environmental impacts. Eaternity's proprietary database contains environmental impact data for over 30,000 food products, combining data from multiple sources with Eaternity's own research.

Ecoinvent​

A leading Life Cycle Inventory database providing environmental data for industrial processes, materials, and energy. Used in EOS for background processes.

EKS (Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service)​

A managed Kubernetes service that makes it easier to run Kubernetes on AWS without needing to install, operate, and maintain your own Kubernetes control plane. Used in EOS infrastructure.

Note: Also historically referred to as "Eaternity Knowledge System" - internal knowledge management system for organizing scientific data and methodologies.

Elementary Flow​

Describes flows that are entering the system from the environment without any previous transformation by humans or are leaving the system by being released into the environment without further human transformation. A flow exchanged with the natural environment is called an elementary flow. Note: EOS does not separate intermediate and elementary flows (e.g., insecticide is made in the technosphere but has an effect on the biosphere, or CO₂ also exists as a chemical).

Synonyms: Elementary Resources and Flows, Intermediate Flows

EOS (Environmental Operating System)​

The core system developed by Eaternity for assessing and managing the environmental impact of food products. Eaternity's core platform for calculating environmental impact data at scale. Processes Life Cycle Assessment calculations for food products.

F​

Flow​

A highly generic concept in LCA mainly defined as a counterpart to an activity. A flow may represent the transfer of matter, such as an emission of combustion gases, or an exchange of services, such as transporting a good. A flow is exchanged between an activity and another activity. Although flows are the products of processes, many flows can exist independently of any process, can be accumulated in reservoirs, and can have properties such as economic value. A quantified input or output in a Life Cycle Assessment model. Can be elementary (to/from environment) or intermediate (between processes).

Flow Node​

A node in the EOS product graph representing a material flow. Contains properties like quantity, location, and product type.

Food Product Flow Node​

A specialized flow node representing a food product in the EOS calculation graph. The most common node type for GFM development.

G​

GADM (Global Administrative Areas)​

A spatial database of the world's administrative boundaries for use in GIS and similar software. Geographic database providing boundaries for administrative areas worldwide. Used in EOS for location-based calculations.

GFM (Gap-Filling Module)​

Specialized components in EOS designed to handle missing or incomplete data in environmental impact calculations. GFMs calculate specific metrics like carbon footprint or water usage.

Glossary​

The glossary is a "forest" of terms - multiple hierarchically structured lists (a graph structure called trees). Example glossaries are the GADM or the FoodEx2 lists. The glossary helps to establish a shared vocabulary and semantic to facilitate the data exchange between different systems (within EOS, but also to the outside world).

Synonyms: Eaternity Glossary

Graph​

The instantiation of Activities and Flows to organize all data for the full life cycle assessment in a graph for the purpose of manipulation of properties (e.g., with Gap-Filling Modules). The graph is henceforth transformed into a Matrix representation for the Impact Calculation. The data structure used in EOS to represent products and their relationships. Nodes represent products/processes, edges represent flows between them.

Synonyms: LCA Calculation Graph

GWP (Global Warming Potential)​

A measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide, usually over a 100-year period (typically measured over 100 years).

H​

Hestia​

A Life Cycle Assessment platform and database for agricultural systems. Provides detailed farming process data.

I​

Impact Assessment​

The phase of Life Cycle Assessment that evaluates potential environmental impacts using Life Cycle Inventory results.

Impact Assessment Calculator​

Utilizes life cycle assessment methodologies to calculate metrics such as carbon footprint, water usage, and land use impact. The calculator integrates data from the Eaternity Database, external scientific sources, and customer inputs to provide comprehensive and accurate environmental impact assessments.

Indicator​

A quantified measure of environmental impact. Indicators provide quantifiable metrics that help in assessing progress towards sustainability goals, comparing performance over time, and communicating complex information in a simplified manner.

Examples: Carbon footprint (kg CO₂e), water footprint (L), land use (m²)

Infrastructure​

The hardware and software needed to run our business logic, including:

  • Logging
  • Monitoring
  • Databases
  • Backup
  • CI/CD

Inventory Connector​

A GFM that connects EOS product graphs to external inventory databases like Ecoinvent or Agribalyse.

J​

Javaland​

The previous calculation system of Eaternity, which is being replaced by EOS.

K​

Kale​

The codename for the migration towards the EOS infrastructure. The objective was formulated in 2021, and the project successfully completed in April 2025. Also refers to an internal EOS service for data aggregation and preprocessing.

Karpenter​

A tool used in the EOS infrastructure for scaling and managing computational resources. It helps in automatically adjusting the system's capacity based on demand, ensuring efficient resource utilization and optimal performance. Kubernetes autoscaling tool used in EOS infrastructure for dynamic resource management. See karpenter.sh

L​

LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)​

A methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal.

LCA Equation​

The matrix equation: "h = B * A⁻¹ * f", that includes calculating the inverse of the technosphere matrix (A) to solve against the demand vector (f), and results in the list of elementary flows (h) before characterization.

LCI (Life Cycle Inventory)​

The phase of Life Cycle Assessment that compiles all inputs and outputs of a product system. Creates the data foundation for impact assessment. It is a key component of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) process and Matrix Calculation GFM.

LCI / ecoinvent connector​

This connector allows EOS to access and utilize standardized LCI data for various materials, processes, and products, enhancing the accuracy and comprehensiveness of environmental impact calculations. It enables the integration of detailed, peer-reviewed life cycle inventory data into EOS's assessments, covering a wide range of industries and regions.

LCI / Science Data​

Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data and scientific data form the foundation of environmental impact assessments in EOS. This includes:

  • Detailed inventory data for raw materials, energy inputs, and emissions associated with food production processes
  • Emission factors for various agricultural practices and food processing methods
  • Transportation and distribution data for food supply chains
  • Packaging material lifecycle information
  • Water consumption and land use data for different food production systems
  • Nutritional composition data for food products
  • Waste management and end-of-life treatment data for food products and packaging

LCIA (Life Cycle Impact Assessment)​

A phase in Life Cycle Assessment that evaluates the potential environmental impacts associated with identified inputs and outputs. It involves selecting impact categories, classification, characterization, and optional steps like normalization and weighting.

M​

Matching​

The process of mapping or linking arbitrary "Strings" (sequential character data, such as the names of ingredients as received from industry sources) to standardized terms in the Eaternity Glossary. The process of linking user-provided ingredient names to known products in the Eaternity database. Uses natural language processing and manual curation.

Matching User Interface​

A specialized interface within the EOS system designed for efficiently mapping customer-provided ingredient names to standardized terms in the Eaternity database.

Matrix​

A representation of all quantities in the graph in form of a matrix, to efficiently solve the essential LCA equation by matrix inversion. Mathematical representation of the product system in Life Cycle Assessment calculations. EOS uses sparse matrix operations for efficiency.

Synonyms: LCA Calculation Matrix

Microservices Architecture​

An architectural style where a software application is structured as a collection of smaller, independent services. EOS strives to minimize compartmentalization into different micro services and only splits into different services where the benefits are clearly given. Currently there are different services for: database, core-engine, task-queue, API interface. EOS uses a microservices architecture where each component (API, matching, calculation, etc.) runs as an independent service.

Mutation​

In the context of EOS and graph theory, a mutation refers to any change or modification made to the structure or properties of the Calculation Graph. Mutations are carefully managed and logged to ensure data integrity and traceability of changes in the graph. A change to the product graph in EOS. GFMs create mutations when setting properties on nodes.

Mutation Log​

All modifications in the graph are committed and stored as mutation as the primary data store. This allows to trace forward and backward all modifications that were made on the calculations graph, which is helpful to understand the calculation and debug the framework. A record of all changes made to a product graph during calculation. Used for debugging and auditing.

N​

Node​

A node represents a single element or entity within a larger system or network. In food supply chain modeling, a node represents an ingredient, a processing step, or a product. Nodes are connected by edges to form a graph structure, allowing for complex relationships and dependencies to be modeled and analyzed. A node can be either an Activity or a Flow. A vertex in the EOS product graph. Represents a product, process, activity, or location.

Nomenclature​

The system of names and terms used in EOS. Standardized naming ensures consistency across databases and calculations.

O​

Ontology​

It defines the concepts, categories, and relationships used to model and analyze the LCA. The EOS ontology aligns with modern LCA concepts (such as Bonsai or Brightway) and defines the LCA Graph with Activities, Flows and further common concepts. The formal specification of concepts and relationships in the EOS domain. Defines how products, processes, and environmental data are organized.

Orchestrator​

A component in EOS that coordinates the execution of various processes and modules. The EOS component that schedules and coordinates GFM execution. Ensures GFMs run in the correct order based on dependencies.

P​

PostgreSQL​

A relational database management system used in EOS for data storage. The relational database system used by EOS for storing product and calculation data.

Property​

Variable with a name in a node to be set/assigned with a value. The nomenclature lends itself from standard python class concepts. Nodes can be attributed with various different values and types of values (e.g., "unit":"kg", amount, location, name, etc.). An attribute of a node in the EOS graph.

Synonyms: Node Property

Examples: production_amount, flow_location, carbon_footprint

Property Condition​

A condition in GFM scheduling that checks whether a property exists or has a specific value.

Q​

Quantity Property​

A property containing a numeric value with a unit.

Example: QuantityProp(1.5, "kg")

R​

Rainforest Rating​

An Eaternity rating evaluating a product's impact on deforestation and tropical ecosystems.

Region (Geographic location)​

In the context of EOS, a region refers to a specific geographical area that is relevant for environmental impact calculations. Regions can vary in scale from countries to smaller administrative divisions. A geographic area used in EOS calculations. Can be a country, subdivision, or custom area.

Relations​

Relations refer to the connections or associations between different nodes in the calculation graph. These relations can represent various types of interactions, such as:

  • Ingredient composition (e.g., a product contains specific ingredients)
  • Processing steps (e.g., an ingredient undergoes a particular treatment)
  • Transportation links (e.g., movement of products between locations)
  • Supplier-customer relationships
  • Environmental impact connections (e.g., how one process affects another)

Connections between nodes in the EOS graph. Define how products and processes relate to each other.

Reports​

Comprehensive documents generated by EOS that provide detailed analysis of environmental impacts, nutritional information, and other relevant data for food products or menus and used for decision-making, menu optimization, and sustainability reporting. These reports typically include:

  • Carbon footprint calculations
  • Water usage assessments
  • Land use impact
  • Nutritional breakdowns
  • Sustainability recommendations

Aggregated sustainability reports generated by EOS. Include metrics, trends, and recommendations for kitchens or organizations.

S​

Schema​

A schema refers to the formal structure and organization of data within the system. It defines how information is stored, categorized, and related to other data points. The EOS schema encompasses various aspects such as ingredient properties, environmental impact metrics, and calculation methodologies. It ensures data consistency and facilitates efficient querying and analysis across the entire platform. The formal structure defining how data is organized in EOS. Includes node types, property definitions, and relationships.

Science User Interface​

A specialized interface within the EOS system designed for scientific users and researchers. It provides advanced tools and visualizations for in-depth analysis of environmental impact data. Internal tool for EOS scientists to manage LCA data and methodologies.

Splitter​

A component in EOS that breaks down complex food items into their constituent ingredients for more accurate analysis. An EOS component that divides complex products into constituent ingredients for individual calculation.

System Process​

In the context of LCA, a System Process refers to a standardized life cycle inventory in complement with a Unit Process, where instead all children have been collapsed and only elementary resources and flows are connected. The practice of calculating and distributing only System Processes is commonly used to prevent insights into the data to secure business models and assets. A process in Life Cycle Assessment that combines multiple unit processes into a single aggregated result.

Synonyms: Caching Node

T​

Terraform​

A tool for Infrastructure as Code used in EOS to manage infrastructure. Infrastructure-as-code tool used for managing EOS cloud infrastructure.

Term Condition​

A GFM condition that matches nodes based on glossary terms (e.g., "meat", "dairy", "organic").

U​

Unit Process​

In the context of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and EOS, a Unit Process refers to a single step or operation within a larger production system. It represents the smallest element for which input and output data are quantified in the LCA of the product system. If data is available as unit processes this allows a comprehensive understanding of the research being done and aspects of the LCA can be understood in detail. Where cut-off data in form of a System Process would prevent this insight. A basic building block in Life Cycle Assessment representing a single activity with inputs and outputs.

User​

In the context of EOS, a User refers to an individual or entity interacting with the system. Users can be categorized into different types based on their roles and permissions:

  • Customer Users: Individuals or businesses using EOS for environmental impact assessments of their food products or menus
  • Scientific Users: Researchers or experts who access advanced features and detailed data for in-depth analysis
  • Administrative Users: System administrators responsible for managing user accounts, permissions, and overall system maintenance
  • API Users: External systems or applications that interact with EOS through its Application Programming Interface

An entity with access to EOS services. Can be an API client, kitchen, or organization.

V​

Value​

Any content within a property. A data element in EOS. Can be numeric, text, or complex structured data.

Vita Score​

A metric developed by Eaternity to assess the nutritional quality and health impact of food compositions like a menu, weekly diet or a basket of food purchases. An index developed by Eaternity to assess the health impacts of foods. Eaternity's nutritional health score for food products. Evaluates nutritional quality alongside environmental impact.

W​

Water Footprint​

The total freshwater consumption associated with a product, measured in liters (L). Includes direct and indirect water use.

Water Subdivision​

A process in EOS where complex food items or ingredients are broken down into their constituent parts based on water content. Water subdivision allows for more precise calculations by separating the dry matter from the water content. Geographic subdivision used for water-related calculations. Accounts for regional water scarcity.

See Also​