C.L.E.A.N.® & R.A.W.® strengthen ingredient-level substantiation using CytoSolve® in silico bioavailability modeling to certify safety, minimal processing, and nutrient value

Product Description

Certified C.L.E.A.N.® / Certified R.A.W.® (CleanFoodCertified.org) is a standards and certification program designed to distinguish “clean” and “raw” packaged foods and supplements using a consensus-based framework that integrates food-safety and quality requirements with modern bioavailability modeling.

Challenge

Food and supplement labels often convey “clean” or “raw” as marketing terms, while manufacturers and consumers face persistent gaps:

  • Unclear definitions: ongoing debate about what constitutes “raw” and how to maintain “raw” quality while protecting consumers from foodborne risks.
  • Multi-ingredient complexity: nutrient impact and bioavailability depend on ingredient interactions and processing—hard to assess with single-ingredient thinking.
  • Evidence expectations: a credible certification must combine safety, minimal processing, and biological relevance (bioavailability) in a repeatable, auditable way.

How CytoSolve® Helped

CytoSolve® functioned as the in silico ingredient-analysis engine inside the C.L.E.A.N.® and R.A.W.® certification approach—specifically for evaluating bioavailability of ingredient combinations and supporting systems-level substantiation.

Systems architecture for ingredient analysis

The program frames certification around three high-level categories—Safety, Minimal Processing, and Bioavailability of nutrients—and defines two imprimaturs: Certified R.A.W.® and Certified C.L.E.A.N.®.

In silico modeling for bioavailability (CytoSolve®)

Both standards explicitly use in silico modeling of the combination of ingredients through CytoSolve®® to evaluate bioavailability.

  • For R.A.W.®, “Alive” is scored by the bioavailability of the combination of ingredients, determined via a bioinformatics approach enabled through CytoSolve®.
  • For C.L.E.A.N.®, “Active” is scored by the bioavailability of the combination of ingredients, also determined via CytoSolve®.

Ingredient validation inputs (lab + documentation)

The standards incorporate conventional ingredient verification inputs (e.g., testing and documentation) as part of certification rigor. For example, the R.A.W.® standard describes requirements such as providing a certificate of analysis (COA) for each ingredient, sourced from labs accredited through ISO 17025 (or similar recognized programs).

Combination screening logic built into the certification scoring

The scoring frameworks explicitly evaluate formulations (not just ingredients), capturing how ingredient combinations behave across key dimensions:

Certified R.A.W.® requires products to be:

  • Real: safe + non-GMO scoring criteria
  • Alive: bioavailability (CytoSolve®-enabled)
  • Whole: organic level + nutrient density (ANDI-based scoring described on the site)

Certified C.L.E.A.N.® requires products to be:

  • Conscious: safety
  • Live: majority organic
  • Ethical: non-GMO
  • Active: bioavailability (CytoSolve®-enabled)
  • Nourishing: nutrient density (ANDI-based scoring described on the site)


Peer-reviewed validation foundation (CytoSolve® method)

CytoSolve®’s modeling approach is supported by peer-reviewed methodology describing dynamic integration of multiple molecular pathway models (a basis for scalable, systems-level modeling).

Standards governance and ongoing updates

The standards are described as consensus-based, maintained through public hearings and committee review, with version 1.8 published February 15, 2022 (per the standards page).

Key Benefits Realized

  • Ingredient-to-formulation traceability: certification evaluates safety and minimal processing while also quantifying the bioavailability of ingredient combinations using in silico modeling.
  • Synergy-aware assessment: shifts evaluation from single-ingredient claims to combination behavior, aligning with real-world product formulations.
  • Audit- and documentation-friendly inputs: incorporates ingredient-level COAs and manufacturing documentation as part of certification requirements.
  • Transparent, evolving standard: governed via a stakeholder process and periodically updated standards versions.

Outcome

C.L.E.A.N.® and R.A.W.® operationalize “clean” and “raw” as measurable certification outcomes by combining (1) safety and minimal-processing verification and (2) CytoSolve®-enabled in silico bioavailability modeling of ingredient combinations. The result is an ingredient analysis framework that supports more rigorous substantiation of multi-ingredient foods and supplements—helping manufacturers differentiate products and helping consumers interpret quality beyond marketing language.