Front-of-package nutrition labels are designed to simplify complex information for shoppers. But a new study suggests that one widely used European labeling system may not fully reflect the chemical complexity of certain foods.
Researchers at the University of Granada analyzed 54 soluble cocoa products sold in Spain and compared their Nutri-Score ratings with detailed metabolomic profiles. Nutri-Score, used in several European countries, assigns packaged foods a letter grade from A to E based primarily on sugar, saturated fat, salt and calorie content. The system is intended to help consumers quickly compare products within a category.
The study, published in npj Science of Food, found no clear correlation between Nutri-Score categories and the metabolomic composition of the cocoa products examined. Products with higher cocoa content tended to contain greater levels of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and other bioactive molecules, but those characteristics were not reflected in the Nutri-Score grades.
“It overlooks relevant molecules associated with beneficial effects, such as phenolic compounds, bioactive peptides and antioxidant compounds found in cocoa,” said Marta Palma, a researcher in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Granada.
In some cases, products with more cocoa content received lower Nutri-Score grades because of higher calorie or sugar levels. Meanwhile, some “no added sugar” products with sweeteners or other additives received more favorable scores. The authors argue this highlights a potential mismatch between nutrient-based algorithms and the broader chemical profile of certain foods.
“Our work shows that the Nutri-Score system does not capture the complexity of foods rich in bioactive compounds, such as cocoa, which can lead to misinterpretations by consumers,” said Celia Rodríguez, professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science.
The study did not evaluate health outcomes in people consuming these products. It did not test whether products with more bioactive compounds improve markers of health. Instead, it assessed whether a nutrient-based scoring system aligns with the presence of specific chemical compounds.
Nutri-Score was intentionally designed to prioritize nutrients with well-established links to chronic disease risk, including added sugars and saturated fats. Metabolomics, by contrast, measures hundreds or thousands of small molecules in a food. Whether those compounds meaningfully influence health depends on factors such as dose, absorption and overall dietary patterns.
This research was conducted as part of a doctoral thesis at the University of Granada and was supported by regional and national government research funding in Spain. The authors also acknowledged assistance from a private data analysis company, SpectraMinds; one co-author is the firm’s founder.