Research area

Food Systems and Access

Research and software on food bank operations, access to food, and nutritional quality ratings.

Pantry Dashboard · live tool
NutriScan · in preparation
Food Bank Efficiency · in preparation
Projects

Key projects in food systems and access

05k10kJun 2025Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Pounds per monthReceivedDistributed
Synthetic sample workbook. Pounds received and distributed per month, May 2025 to April 2026.

Pantry Dashboard

Live

Browser-based dashboard that reads a food bank intake spreadsheet and builds monthly, department, donor, distribution and trend views. The file is processed in the browser and is not uploaded.

Input
.xlsx, .xls or .csv, any column layout
Sample
Synthetic workbook, 401 intake rows
Version
v1.0, May 2026; CC BY-NC 4.0
nullsetlabs.org/foodbank-dashboard
Nutri-ScoreABCDENOVA group1234UK FSAtraffic lightsFatSat fatSugarsSalt
The three published systems. Nutri-Score grades A to E, NOVA groups 1 to 4 and UK FSA traffic lights. Readings shown are illustrative.

NutriScan

In Preparation

Nutritional quality classifier that applies three published rating systems to the same food: Nutri-Score, the NOVA processing scale and the UK FSA traffic-light system.

Status
Working prototype; write-up in preparation
Release
No public release yet
food.nullsetlabs.org/nutriscan
DateDepartmentDonor NameDonor TypePounds ReceivedItem CountRecipient SiteDistributed PoundsHouseholds ServedNotesForm rows 1 to 44
Synthetic sample workbook. Filled cells (dark) by field in the first 44 form rows; 65% are filled. Donation rows leave the distribution fields blank and distribution rows the donor fields.

Community Food Bank Efficiency

In Preparation

Research on food bank operations: intake, distribution and demand over time, from the records of local food banks. The Pantry Dashboard is its public software.

Status
Research write-up in preparation
Released
Pantry Dashboard v1.0, May 2026
food.nullsetlabs.org/community-food-bank
Status

Project status

Project and statusDataUpdates and versions
Pantry Dashboard
Live
A spreadsheet supplied by the user, processed in the browser v1.0, May 2026
NutriScan
In Preparation
Public food composition databases No public release yet
Community Food Bank Efficiency
In Preparation
Intake and distribution records from local food banks Pantry Dashboard released May 2026; write-up in preparation