Editorial policy
Formula Atlas is an independent, single-author site. Every record in the Infant Formula Atlas — every comparison, every brand hub, every ingredient explainer — is governed by the standards below. Compliance is enforced both editorially (María reviews every record before publishing) and programmatically (automated lint catches violations before commit).
1. Primary sources only
Every factual claim links to one of the following recognized primary sources: FDA, EFSA, EU regulations (EUR-Lex), ECFR, USDA, AMS-USDA, AAP, NASPGHAN, NIAID, PubMed (NCBI), Cochrane, WHO, Codex Alimentarius, FSIS-USDA, or a manufacturer's official datasheet / regulatory filing. Wikipedia citations are explicitly prohibited and automatically flagged by editorial lint.
When secondary sources (clinical practice summaries, news reporting, retailer pages) are referenced, they're labeled as such and never carry the primary citation weight in claim arguments.
2. Single-author authorship
Every article on the site is authored by María López Botín. The Person + ProfilePage schema is consistent across every page. The site does not use AI-generated authorship; AI tools are used for editing assistance and structural support, but factual claims, source selection, and editorial voice are María's. Author entity expansion (additional contributors) would require an explicit announcement and updated schema.
3. Single-affiliate transparency
The site has exactly one affiliate relationship: Organic's Best Shop. Every affiliate link carries rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" attributes and is preceded by an inline disclosure within the first 150 words of any article that contains one. The full disclosure document enumerates every aspect of the relationship.
Brands that are NOT sold via Organic's Best (Bobbie, Similac, Enfamil, ByHeart, etc.) appear in editorial coverage as US-benchmark reference points. Their brand hubs carry no affiliate CTAs. Comparison articles between EU and US brands are written for editorial value, not conversion to non-OB retailers.
4. No sponsored content, no paid placement
The site does not accept sponsored content, paid placement, press-release publication, or any form of brand partnership beyond the disclosed affiliate relationship. Editorial coverage of any brand — including Organic's Best Shop's partner brands — is based on the same compositional and regulatory criteria applied to non-OB brands.
5. Verification dates and review cadence
Every record carries last_reviewed and next_review_due dates. The default review cadence is 6 months — earlier when a brand reformulates, when a regulatory change occurs, or when a recall affects a tracked SKU. Review cycles are tracked by an automated scheduler that files a GitHub Issue when records become due.
6. Reformulation and recall tracking
When a tracked brand reformulates a SKU or a recall is announced, the affected records are updated within 14 days via a documented changelog visible at /infant-formula-atlas/changelog. Historical SKU compositions are preserved as part of the record so families can compare current vs prior formulations.
7. No medical advice
The site is independent research and editorial commentary, not medical advice. María is not a doctor, pediatrician, or registered dietitian — she is a parent who reads the labels and the regulations carefully. Every clinical-adjacent page carries a medical disclaimer; pediatric consultation is recommended for any clinical decision affecting a specific infant.
8. Corrections policy
When an error is identified — by María, by a reader, or by a brand correction notice — the record is updated within 7 days and the change is recorded in the per-record changelog. Significant corrections to flagship comparisons or buying guides are also added to the site-level changelog. Reach out via /contact to flag a potential error.
9. Editorial scope and coverage limits
The Atlas tracks infant formulas relevant to English-speaking parents using formula globally, with editorial emphasis on European-style organic options because we believe the EU regulatory standards (2016/127: lactose-primary mandatory, GOS+FOS prebiotic blend, no carrageenan, narrower nutrient windows) and ingredient transparency of those brands are genuinely better than the FDA baseline. Organic's Best Shop is our exclusive affiliate because, after comparing import resellers on shipping reliability, batch freshness, and customs handling, OB is the most reliable way to access European brands (Kendamil, Holle, HiPP) for families outside the EU. Coverage of US-only retail brands (Similac, Enfamil, Bobbie, ByHeart) and other non-OB-stocked brands is editorial- comparison-focused, not commercial — these brands generate zero revenue for the site. Newer brands and SKUs are added on documented inclusion criteria: FDA-registered (or FDA- enforcement-discretion-permitted), distributed in a major English-speaking market, and with sufficient public regulatory documentation to support the Atlas's claim standards.
10. Methodology
The full research methodology — how SKU records are built, how primary sources are selected and cited, how the scoring rubric works — lives at /infant-formula-atlas/methodology.
This editorial policy is itself versioned. Material changes are announced in the changelog. Last updated: 2026-04-26.