Ingredient Data System for Regulatory Compliance Checks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complexity in ingredient information on food product labels makes it difficult for consumers and manufacturers to understand compliance with regulatory requirements, and for regulators to confirm compliance, due to varying label formats and obscure terminology.
Innovation Solution
An ingredient data management system that processes and parses text and graphics from labels to identify constituent information, assigns base attributes, and generates master attributes for claims, ingredients, and nutritional information, storing this data in a database for easy retrieval and comparison.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If ingredient information is displayed in detailed lists on product labels, then complete ingredient data is provided, but the information becomes long, complex, and difficult to understand for consumers and regulators
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments ingredient information into hierarchical levels: product level, ingredient level, and sub-ingredient level. This segmentation allows complete ingredient data to be stored and retrieved while presenting only relevant information to different users, making compliance verification easier without losing information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary database and processing layer between the detailed ingredient lists and the users. This intermediary structure stores complete ingredient information while providing standardized, simplified views for consumers and regulators, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and ease of verification.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different manufacturers use varying label formats and terminology, then each manufacturer can present information in their preferred format, but comparison across products becomes difficult and compliance confirmation is challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a universal database structure that can accommodate multiple label formats and terminology from different manufacturers. This universal structure enables consistent compliance measurement across all products while maintaining the flexibility to store and retrieve information in various formats as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies parameter changes by standardizing ingredient terminology and classification parameters across all products. By transforming diverse manufacturer-specific parameters into standardized parameters, the system enables accurate compliance measurement while preserving the ability to display information in various formats.
3Manufacturing precision
If obscure terminology and complex statements are used on labels, then precise ingredient descriptions are provided, but consumer understanding and regulatory review become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds another dimension to ingredient information by creating parallel representations: the original precise terminology for regulatory accuracy and simplified explanations for consumer understanding. This dimensional approach maintains manufacturing precision while improving information accessibility without losing either aspect.
Data Source
AI summary
An ingredient data system that ingests text and graphics of product labels associated with consumer products to check compliance with rules pertaining to what can be included on the product labels generally includes a memory having instructions stored thereon, and at least one processor to execute the instructions to transmit via a network a representation of a label view to a user interface on a client computing device that displays one or more of the base attributes associated with the first request, at least a portion of each of the images of one or more of the product labels of the consumer products designated under one or more of the base attributes associated with the first request, and at least a portion of details of noncompliance when one or more of the pieces of the constituent information are identified as impermissible according to the compliance information.