## 4 Results and Discussion
### Semantic Analysis of the Heterogeneous Information Space of Food Ingredients
#### 4.1.1 Product Vector Space and Formulation Features
They are primarily flavored with sugar and malt extract, balanced by a touch of salt, and fortified with various vitamins (e.g., B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, and D3, with each product containing at least six types). In contrast, products in Region 4 may offer more complex, varied, and natural flavors. Each product contains at least six types of grains and one type of nut, enhanced with natural ingredients like honey, syrup, chocolate, and cinnamon. Cereal bar products in Region 4 also exhibit these features. Compared to Region 3, Region 4's products deliver a richer taste and texture experience due to whole grains, nuts, subtle sweetness, and natural flavorings. Similarly, the \"Breakfast Syrups & Toppings\" category in Regions 5 and 6 (Figures 3F and 3G) exhibits comparable semantic clustering. In Region 5, the products comprise eight different packaging formats from two formulas, all produced by the same company and all featuring chocolate hazelnut spreads with rich oiliness and dairy undertones. Region 6, by contrast, contains four products from various brands, all of which are low-calorie or sugar-free syrups. These syrups use water combined with artificial sweeteners such as sucrose, aspartame, and neotame, resulting in a lighter taste but serving as excellent low-calorie alternatives for individuals managing blood sugar levels. Two additional subregions (Figures 3H and 3I, corresponding to Regions 7 and 8) illustrate how different food subcategories can cluster within the same region. In Region 7, products belong to three distinct categories--\"Breakfast & Cereal Bars\", \"Cereals\", and \"Pancake, Waffle & Baking Mixes\"--yet all are from the Nature Valley brand. Their shared feature is a formulation based on whole grain oats, using various sweeteners (such as sugar, honey, corn syrup, and brown sugar syrup) and fats (such as canola oil and sunflower oil) to create a rich, smooth taste enhanced by natural spices or uniquely aromatic ingredients like cinnamon. In Region 8, products span three categories--\"Breakfast & Cereal Bars\", \"Cereals\", and \"Instant Breakfast Drinks\"--and come from different brands. The commonality among them is the use of organic brown rice and a range of organic coarse grains (such as hard wheat, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and quinoa flakes). These products incorporate simple ingredients, emphasizing the grains' natural flavor without excessive additives, thereby providing a healthy, natural taste. Clearly, the heterogeneous food-ingredient information space constructed in this study effectively captures the unique characteristics of food formulations. Although category, brand, and product name information were not utilized when building the space, these attributes are still implicitly represented. The clustering of products across various regions cannot be attributed to any single factor; rather, it is driven by the formulation style, reflecting a blend of taste, texture, and consumer health needs. Such a comprehensive semantic perspective is especially valuable for food development.