AquaIndex Score v1

Nutrition Fit (0-40 points)

Each diet group has target ranges for protein, fat, and fiber. Foods are scored based on how well they match these ranges:

• Protein (20 points): Full points if within range, linear decay outside range (tolerance: 20%)
• Fat (12 points): Full points if within range, linear decay outside range (tolerance: 10%)
• Fiber (8 points): Full points if within range, linear decay outside range (tolerance: 8%)

Foods missing required nutrition data (protein, fat, or fiber) are excluded from ranked lists.

Ingredient Quality (0-40 points)

Based on the first 5 ingredients listed on the label:

• Protein Source Quality (0-20): Bonus for named animal/insect proteins in top positions, penalty for fillers or vague terms in top 3
• Filler Penalty (0-15): Deductions for fillers (wheat, corn, soy, etc.) appearing early in the ingredient list
• Transparency (0-5): Penalties for vague terms like "derivatives" or "by-products", bonus for multiple named proteins

Foods without ingredient lists are excluded from ranked lists.

Suitability (0-20 points)

Conservative scoring based on food characteristics matching diet group preferences, with physical size acting as a gating factor:

• Sink Type (0-10): Matches preferred sink rate for the diet group (floating, slow-sinking, sinking)
• Size Class (0-6): Matches preferred food size (micro, small, medium, large). Size compatibility also sets a maximum overall score.
• Food Type (0-4): Matches preferred food format (flake, pellet, granule, wafer, etc.)

Diet Group Target Ranges