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I'm looking for a suitable word meaning 'according to the source', where which source is obvious from the context. Example sentence

They made foodboxes with meat rather than fish, ostensibly since fish smells when microwaved.

The example is imperfect in the sense that whether fish smells in the microwave is something people might have a personal experience with and so it might feel verifiable by the reader itself, but in the original sentence, there is no way for the reader to verify if true, so I want to convey that I am relaying what the source claims without judgement. I want to do this more succinctly than tacking on '.. according to source' at the end of the sentence.

Ostensibly means roughly 'according to the source' but if I understand it correctly, it also carries an implication that the source is lying or hiding something. I want the meaning of 'according to the source' but without that implication.

Words I've considered:
Apparently. Definition; as far as one knows or can see. This is pretty good but refers more to what I can see than what my source can and says.
Supposedly. Definition; according to what is generally assumed or believed. Nothing is generally believed or assumed in my case, since it's a highly technical statement and not verifiable to the general reader of my text. Supposedly also carries an implication that I am doubting the source which I don't want.

There might be a suitable word I cannot find, or my understanding that ostensibly implies lies might be flawed. Advice welcome regardless of solution. Any ideas?

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    This question may be more suited to english.SE which has a specific "single-word-request" tag
    – komodosp
    Commented Oct 16 at 11:45
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    I would go with "concerned that" or maybe all the way to "worried that." If this is a story, I would name a person, "because Steve insisted that". You don't need a single word here.
    – Kate Gregory
    Commented Oct 16 at 11:53
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    Your question could be clearer. Do you want a word that means "according to a source that has reported it publicly" or "according to what someone has told me personally"? Also, your example stinks.
    – TimR
    Commented Oct 22 at 11:38
  • @KateGregory is right.
    – Cerberus - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Oct 22 at 12:19

2 Answers 2

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Purportedly

According to dictionary.com

according to what is or has been claimed, reputed, or asserted

... and doesn't seem to necessarily imply the dishonesty or incorrectitude of ostensibly

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    Not sure what the down-vote is for - is "purportedly" not appropriate in this case? If so, a comment would be useful. (Or is it just that I dared to answer a question that was more suited to another site?)
    – komodosp
    Commented Oct 18 at 9:01
  • Wonderful, thank you for the answer! Commenter on question thinks it belongs elsewhere. Do you know what other site is more appropriate and how I can find it?
    – Anton
    Commented Oct 20 at 11:13
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    The nuance I take from "purportedly" is somewhat negative and implies that the object isn't quite as it seems/is reported to be.
    – Greybeard
    Commented Oct 22 at 11:09
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    Yes I'd think "purportedly" is even more suspicious than "ostensibly". The primary meaning of "purport" is "to have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming". (Ostensible originally just meant visible, presentable, or intended for view, although it's gained some associations since then).
    – Stuart F
    Commented Oct 24 at 14:17
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They made foodboxes with meat rather than fish, ostensibly since fish smells when microwaved.

The neutral, impersonal, reported speech is sufficiently vague:

They made foodboxes with meat rather than fish, as it is said that fish smells when microwaved.

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