About ScanBeforeEat
ScanBeforeEat is a free web app that helps you understand packaged food before you buy or eat it. Snap a photo of a food label or scan a UPC/EAN barcode with your phone camera, and you get an instant health score, ingredient breakdown, additive warnings, and allergy alerts tailored to your profile. We built ScanBeforeEat for everyday shoppers — families comparing snacks at the store, people managing allergies or diet preferences, and anyone who wants plain-language answers instead of tiny print on the back of a box.
Why we built it
Reading every ingredient list takes time, and many labels use codes and additives that are hard to interpret on the spot. Existing barcode apps help, but we wanted something that also reads label photos with AI, supports Indian packaged foods and common INS additive codes, offers Hindi alongside English, and stays completely free. ScanBeforeEat puts those tools in one place so you can make a quick, informed decision at the shelf or in your kitchen — scan before you eat.
How the health score works
When you scan a product, ScanBeforeEat combines AI label analysis with a rule-based health engine. The system evaluates ingredients, food additives, sugar, salt, and other nutrition factors, then assigns a score from 0 to 100. You also get a simple verdict — Eat, Maybe, or Avoid — plus recommendations in plain language. The score is designed for quick comparison while shopping, not as medical advice. If you set allergies or diet preferences (vegan, Jain, gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, and more), every scan flags ingredients that may conflict with your settings so risky items stand out immediately.
What you can do today
Create a free account at scanbeforeeat.com, scan labels and barcodes, save favorites, and revisit your scan history. Barcode lookups use Open Food Facts and our ingredient databases; label photos are read by AI and analyzed in seconds. Your scan data is tied to your account and stored securely — we do not sell your personal scan history. For more details, see our FAQ, Privacy Policy, and Terms.