is your food still crunchy?The facts first.
The interpretation separately.
Two dated labels. A reproducible comparison. The evidence alongside.
What verified means
A verified snapshot records an editorial review of the linked evidence on its review date. It does not guarantee every package or market is identical, or that the formulation has never changed. Source-check dates and verification dates are different.
New additions may include source-reported product information before independent review. Those records show “Verification pending” on their detail pages; adding a record to the library is not the same as verifying its current label. Following a reviewed product currently provides in-account alerts for approved changes; email and push delivery are not active.
What counts as a recorded change?
Ingredients added, removed or reordered
We compare ingredient entries and their positions in two retained snapshots. An ingredient may change position because another entry was inserted or removed; position alone does not establish a quantity change. Subingredients should stay grouped exactly as listed.
Wording changes
Stable ingredient identities can connect two differently worded labels. Simple capitalization and punctuation variants can be matched automatically. We do not guess whether two different ingredient names are equivalent. Unlinked entries remain additions and removals until reviewed.
Nutrition values
Direct comparisons require the same serving basis and units. Missing values mean “not recorded,” never zero. Changed serving sizes are displayed explicitly; figures on different bases are not treated as like-for-like changes.
Certifications and other label properties
A certification mark newly appearing or disappearing is a change in recorded display. It does not by itself establish certification status with the certifying body. Packaging, sourcing, processing and manufacturer statements are compared as recorded claims, without inferring safety or manufacturing facts.
Dates and evidence
The formula observation date identifies the snapshot; the verification date records when it was checked. Two observations bound the period in which a visible change occurred. The actual reformulation date may be unknown. Every published version requires evidence.
Where product information comes from
We use manufacturer labels and product pages, retained package evidence, and public food catalogs to build the product library. One combined library lets you browse new additions and search by category, regardless of the source.
USDA FoodData Central is one reference for brand-reported ingredient lists, barcodes, serving information and nutrition. Its public-domain data helps us add products, but a USDA record alone does not establish what is on the latest package. Source publication and collection dates remain available under Sources & verification on each product.
Independent verification prefers the exact manufacturer product and market. Imported records do not replace a reviewed manufacturer snapshot, receive an invented score, or automatically establish a formulation change. Missing information stays unknown.
Reading the product state
Change Detected: a difference exists between recorded versions.
No Recorded Change: the compared fields match; unobserved details remain unknown.
New Version: the first formula snapshot establishes a baseline.
Review Needed: no current formula record is available.
Evidence Incomplete: the record lacks attached source evidence.
Major and minor change interpretations require specific editorial reasons. The automated comparison does not classify edits as harmful or beneficial.
VeriCrunch Assessment — secondary editorial framework
An optional assessment can follow the factual record. It is an editorial interpretation out of 100, not a validated health or safety measure. There are no pass/fail tiers or brand-wide judgments.
Preserving the record
New formulas create new snapshots. Earlier ingredient lists, nutrition values, source references and editorial notes remain available. Corrections create dated records instead of replacing prior content.
Ownership events appear within the product timeline as context. They do not establish a causal relationship with formula changes.
Advertising, affiliate relationships and paid evaluations must never alter the factual change record or buy an editorial result.