Your label-reading companion · For iPhone
A little clarity in every ingredient list.
Meet SafeFood. Photograph a packaged food label to read its ingredients, find gluten- and milk-containing terms, and see the original text behind each finding.
10 free scans each month · No account needed · Ages 18+
See how it works ↓What it is
A second pair of eyes
Small print, four languages on one pack, a word you have read a hundred times and still hesitate over. SafeFood is for that moment in the aisle. It is not an oracle and it does not ask you to trust it: each result shows its finding with the transcribed text, the matched ingredient and its explanation.
It reads labels. It does not test food.
How it works
Three steps, and you can check every one
Photograph the ingredient list
Up to four photos per scan, so a wrap-around label is one reading and not four. The camera focuses close, because that is where labels are.
See what it read
The transcription comes back verbatim, in the label’s own language, with an English translation beneath it. If the reading is incomplete, SafeFood flags the issue and asks for a better photo. AI can still misread, so check the original label.
barley malt extract
No milk-containing ingredients found in the list on this photo.
Decide for yourself
Tap the matched ingredient and SafeFood explains the rule behind it — that barley malt extract comes from a gluten-containing grain and the label carries no qualifier beside it. The photographs stay with the result, so you can zoom in and read the pack again yourself.
Limits
What SafeFood cannot do
A useful reading includes its limits. Here is what a photograph can and cannot tell you.
- Cross-contact is invisible to a label read. What happened on the production line is not printed in the ingredient list, and no photograph can show it.
- A “may contain” warning is quoted, never graded. SafeFood shows you the manufacturer’s exact words and does not pretend to know the risk behind them — and their absence is not a safety signal.
- A photo cannot measure gluten or lactose. It cannot verify the amount present or a claim printed on the pack.
- Recipes change. A reading describes the pack you photographed, on the day you photographed it.
- An AI can misread. That is precisely why the transcription is shown to you rather than hidden behind a verdict.
Always check the packaging yourself. SafeFood is there to make that check faster and less error-prone, not to replace it.
Away from home
A label you cannot read at all
Shopping in Thailand, Poland or Italy is where a label reader stops being a convenience. The scan translates the ingredient list it quotes, including the matched ingredient itself. You can read the English translation alongside the original label and check the source photo.
The verbatim text always stays on screen. A translation is a second reading of the label, not a replacement for it.
Price
Start free. More scans when you need them.
Pro raises the allowance to 150 scans a month with no daily limit. Eligible subscribers may receive a free introductory trial of one month. Prices vary by App Store region; the app shows your local price and current offer. Subscriptions renew automatically. Cancel in your Apple Account settings at least 24 hours before the trial or billing period ends to avoid the next charge. No accounts, adverts or tracking across apps.
Questions
Frequently asked
Who can use SafeFood, and where?
SafeFood is for adults aged 18 and over. An age check is required before use. Scanning is available only in supported countries and regions, including while travelling; a subscription does not change regional availability. See the Terms of use for the current regional requirements.
Is this medical advice?
No. SafeFood reads the words printed on a label and tells you which gluten- or milk-containing ingredients that text declares. It does not diagnose or monitor anything, gives no dietary advice, and is not a medical device. It also never personalises a result: the same reading rules apply to everyone.
Why does it never say "safe" or "gluten-free"?
Because a label photo cannot establish the actual composition of a food or whether it is suitable for someone to eat. SafeFood reads text. So the positive result is an absence of finding — "no gluten-containing ingredients found in the list on this photo" — which is exactly what a label read can support.
Which languages does it read?
The label can be in almost any language: the app transcribes what is printed and translates it into English alongside the original, which is the point of it while travelling. The app’s own interface is English.
What happens to my photos?
They are sent to a third-party AI service to be read, and are not stored on our servers. Your scan history stays on your phone. There are no accounts or advertising trackers. The privacy policy explains AI-provider retention and the limited technical records used to run the service.
Do I need an account?
No, and there is no way to make one. Your recent scan history stays on your phone. A random installation identifier keeps track of your allowance and subscription.
Does it work without a signal?
The reading needs a connection, because the transcription happens on a server. Your previous scans and their photos stay readable offline.
Take a closer look
Your next label, a little easier to read.
Start with 10 free scans a month on iPhone.
Download on the App StoreIn full
What SafeFood is, stated once
SafeFood is a label-reading assistant. It photographs the ingredient list printed on packaged food, transcribes the text, and reports which gluten- or lactose-containing ingredients appear in that text. SafeFood does not test, measure or analyse food. It does not diagnose, monitor, prevent or treat any condition, and it gives no personalised medical or dietary advice. It is not a medical device.