About Nutribaba
Nutribaba is an India-first nutrition and cosmetics intelligence platform that helps you understand what's really in your packaged food and skincare products.
Our Mission
We believe everyone deserves to make informed choices about what they consume and apply to their skin. Food labels and cosmetic ingredient lists can be confusing, filled with unfamiliar names and codes that don't mean much to the average consumer. Nutribaba translates this complexity into plain language.
What We Do
For Food Products
- Analyze nutrition labels against FSSAI guidelines and flag high sodium, sugar, saturated fat, and trans fat content
- Explain ingredients in plain language so you know what you're actually eating
- Identify ultra-processed foods using the NOVA classification system
- Provide clear verdicts to help you decide if a product fits your dietary goals
For Cosmetic Products
- Decode INCI ingredients and explain what each ingredient does in plain language
- Identify potential concerns like parabens, sulfates, silicones, fragrances, and known allergens
- Highlight ingredient functions so you understand if a product is moisturizing, cleansing, preserving, or adding fragrance
- Provide safety context based on published research and regulatory guidance from EU, CIR, and other sources
Our Data Sources
We believe in transparency about where our data comes from:
Primary Data Sources
- Open Food Facts - Food product data (nutrition facts, ingredients, images, barcodes) comes from this free, open, collaborative database. Data is contributed by users worldwide and licensed under ODbL.
- Open Beauty Facts - Cosmetic product data (INCI ingredients, product info, images) comes from this companion database for beauty and personal care products, also licensed under ODbL.
Analysis Framework
- FSSAI Thresholds - We use FSSAI's HFSS (High Fat, Sugar, Salt) guidelines to flag products. High sodium: >600mg/100g, High sugar: >12.5g/100g, High saturated fat: >6g/100g.
- NOVA Classification - Food processing levels (1-4) are estimated based on ingredient analysis.
Additive & Ingredient Safety Information
Safety notes for food additives (E-numbers) and cosmetic ingredients reference published guidance from:
- FSSAI - Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
- EFSA - European Food Safety Authority
- FDA - US Food and Drug Administration
- EU Cosmetics Regulation - European cosmetic safety standards
- CIR - Cosmetic Ingredient Review (independent safety assessments)
Note: Product data quality depends on Open Food Facts and Open Beauty Facts contributions. We encourage users to verify information against actual product packaging.
Who We Are
Nutribaba is built by a small team passionate about public health and transparency in food and cosmetics. We are not affiliated with any food company, cosmetics brand, or industry body. Our analysis is independent and objective.
Contact
Questions, feedback, or corrections? Reach us at hello@nutribaba.in
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nutribaba?
Nutribaba is a free nutrition and cosmetics intelligence platform that helps you understand what's in packaged food and skincare products. We analyze nutrition labels, decode food and INCI ingredients, and provide clear insights based on regulatory guidelines.
Is Nutribaba free to use?
Yes, Nutribaba is completely free. We don't charge for accessing product information, nutrition analysis, cosmetic ingredient analysis, or explanations.
Where does Nutribaba get its data?
Food product data comes from Open Food Facts, and cosmetic product data comes from Open Beauty Facts - both free and open databases. We apply FSSAI thresholds for food and reference EU/CIR safety data for cosmetics.
Does Nutribaba provide medical or dermatological advice?
No. Nutribaba provides general information for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, dietary, or dermatological advice. Always consult healthcare providers for personalized guidance.
What is the NOVA classification?
NOVA is a food classification system that groups foods by their level of processing: unprocessed (1), processed culinary ingredients (2), processed foods (3), and ultra-processed foods (4). Higher NOVA scores indicate more processing.
How are the verdicts calculated?
For food, verdicts are based on FSSAI thresholds for sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat. For cosmetics, we analyze ingredient concern levels based on published safety data for parabens, sulfates, fragrances, and allergens.
Can I add a product that's not in Nutribaba?
Yes! Use the 'Add Product' feature to manually enter nutrition information from any packaged food. Your contribution helps grow our database.
How can I report incorrect information?
Use the 'Suggest Correction' button on any product page or email us at hello@nutribaba.in. We review all reports and update our database accordingly.
What cosmetic ingredients does Nutribaba analyze?
We analyze INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) lists and flag common concerns like parabens, sulfates, silicones, fragrances, and known allergens. Ingredient safety depends on concentration and formulation.
How does Nutribaba categorize cosmetic ingredients?
We use a dual-lens ME/CE (Mutually Exclusive / Collectively Exhaustive) taxonomy. The primary lens groups ingredients by Functional Role (what it does), and the secondary lens shows Risk Category (what it risks). This helps you understand both purpose and safety.
What are the Functional Role categories for cosmetics?
We group ingredients into 10 functional roles: Base & Vehicle (water, solvents), Cleansing System (surfactants), Hydration System (humectants), Conditioning & Emolliency (oils, silicones), Barrier Modifiers (occlusives), Active Treatment (actives, sunscreens), Preservation & Stability (preservatives), Sensory & Fragrance (scents), pH Adjustment, and Marketing Additives (botanicals at low concentrations).
What do the Risk Badges mean on cosmetic ingredients?
Safe (green) = Generally recognized as safe. Depends (blue) = Context-dependent, safe for most but concerns for some. Irritant (yellow) = Known to irritate sensitive skin. Allergen (orange) = Documented allergen that must be declared. Restricted (red) = Subject to concentration limits or bans. Eco Concern (purple) = Environmental persistence or reef toxicity.
Why are some cosmetic ingredients shown as 'Other Ingredients'?
Our database contains common cosmetic ingredients. When we encounter an ingredient we haven't categorized yet, we display it under 'Other Ingredients'. This doesn't mean it's unsafe - just that we haven't analyzed it. With thousands of INCI ingredients globally, we can't cover everything.
What does 'Marketing Additive' mean?
Marketing Additives are ingredients (often botanicals like aloe, green tea, or chamomile) that may be effective at high concentrations but are often added in trace amounts primarily for label appeal. They're not harmful, but their benefit at the used concentration may be minimal.