How specific products are distinguished from each other: GTIN/EAN/UPC, ISBN, CAS, PCP, NPN, EPA Registration Number, FCC ID, UDI, NDC.
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Every product the wiki covers carries at least one machine-readable identifier issued or standardised by a public body or industry standards organisation. Identifiers are how we distinguish one product from another — and how regulators link a recall, a residue test or a certification back to a specific item. This page lists the identifiers we cite, what they mean and which authority issues them.
GTIN / EAN / UPC / ISBN — global trade barcodes
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the umbrella standard. It comes in four widths:
GTIN-13 (EAN-13) — 13 digits, the European default, used for almost all retail goods globally.
GTIN-12 (UPC-A) — 12 digits, the North-American default.
GTIN-14 (ITF-14) — 14 digits, used on multi-pack outer cases.
GTIN-8 (EAN-8) — 8 digits, used on tiny products where a full barcode does not fit.
ISBN-13 is a GTIN-13 in the 978/979 prefix range, reserved for books.
The check digit (last digit) is computed with a modulo-10 algorithm; we use it on the build_wiki_sitemap pipeline to reject malformed candidates before they leak into Google.
CAS Registry Numbers are issued by Chemical Abstracts Service (a division of the American Chemical Society). They look like 117-81-7 (DEHP) or 50-32-8 (benzo[a]pyrene) — between 5 and 10 digits, with two hyphens. CAS numbers are the lingua franca of chemistry; almost every regulator references them. Our substance wiki is CAS-keyed.
EPA Registration Number — US pesticide products
Every pesticide product legally sold in the United States must carry an EPA Registration Number (format XXXXX-YY for Section 3 federal registration, with an optional state suffix). The number is assigned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under FIFRA §3 and published in PPIS. Pesticide products without an EPA Reg # are unregistered and cannot legally be sold.
PCP Number — Canadian pesticide products
Canada's equivalent is the Pest Control Product (PCP) number, assigned by Health Canada's PMRA. Each registered product has one PCP; the number is required on every label. PMRA publishes the full registry as daily-refreshed CSV.
NPN — Canadian Natural Health Products
A Natural Product Number (NPN), e.g. NPN 80012345, is assigned by Health Canada to licensed natural health products (vitamins, herbals, traditional medicines, probiotics). NPN-bearing products have been formally licensed; DIN-HM (Homeopathic Medicine Number) is the sister identifier for homeopathic preparations.
FCC ID — US radio-emitting equipment
Any device that intentionally or unintentionally emits radio-frequency energy and is sold in the United States must carry an FCC ID (format GRANTEE-PRODUCTCODE) under 47 CFR Part 15 and related parts. Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth speakers, smartphones and IoT sensors all have one. The Federal Communications Commission's OET Equipment Authorization system publishes the full grant database.
UDI — Medical devices (EU + US)
Unique Device Identification (UDI) is a system mandated by FDA 21 CFR Part 830 and EU Regulation 2017/745 (MDR). Each UDI has two parts: the DI (device identifier — fixed for a model) and the PI (production identifier — lot, serial, expiry). FDA publishes the GUDID database; the EU equivalent is EUDAMED.
Other regulator-issued identifiers
NDC — National Drug Code (US, FDA) — pharma. We do not surface pharma per project policy.
DSLD ID — NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database identifier.
SVHC ID — for substances on ECHA's Candidate List under REACH.
E-number — EU food additive (e.g. E102 tartrazine), under Regulation (EC) 1333/2008.
CN / HS Code — Combined Nomenclature / Harmonised System tariff codes — for customs, not product safety.
ProductGuru summarises public regulatory information. We are not lawyers, regulators or product-safety consultants. Citations on this page link to the underlying official source; consult those sources, or qualified counsel in your jurisdiction, before relying on any claim for a commercial decision.