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The Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion (NPSC) helps food businesses determine whether a food is eligible to carry a health claim under Standard 1.2.7 of the Food Standards Code.
It works by assessing both risk components, such as saturated fat, sugars and sodium, and beneficial components like fruit, vegetables, fibre, nuts, legumes and protein, to produce an overall score. A food’s score must meet the NPSC threshold to carry a general- or high-level health claim.
The NPSC plays an important regulatory role. It helps make sure health claims aren’t used on foods with poor nutritional profiles. However, it’s not designed to classify foods as healthy or unhealthy, or rank foods against each other.
It’s also different to the Health Star Rating (HSR) system. While both use nutrient profiling, the HSR is a voluntary scheme that helps consumers compare similar packaged foods.
The Nutrient Profiling Scoring Calculator is available to help businesses assess whether their products meet the NPSC before making a health claim.