New food app leverages AI to help consumers understand ingredients right from grocery aisle

An IAFNS summer student researcher leveraged AI to develop a novel science-driven smartphone app that helps consumers understand food ingredients while they shop.

The tool is an offline AI-powered app that can help both professionals and consumers understand the function of ingredients or additives in their favorite foods at the point of sale. The emergence of the new app is timely as it addresses critical challenges in consumer education around food additives stemming from social media and online misinformation and inaccuracies.

The free ‘Food Additive Lens’ app is now available for download. The app, developed for iPhones version 14 or newer, allows consumers to retrieve authoritative information about food additives in seconds right from the grocery store aisle or point of purchase simply by scanning the ingredients label. The app is an evidence-based source of information about food additives and designed to help users make informed dietary decisions.

Drawing from Scientific Databases

The app was developed drawing on authoritative government databases including the Department of Agriculture’s Global Branded Food Products Database to train the tool’s food category classifier. The user can access authoritative definitions and regulatory information from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) along with consumer-friendly additive definitions. The app combines three steps – food category classification, additive identifier and AI explanation generator – for users.

Users simply take a picture of the ingredient statement on a product label in the store. The app then analyzes the information and uses AI to generate reliable outputs about additives and their function in foods without subjective labels like “good,” “bad,” “healthy,” or “unhealthy.”

The advanced AI technology it uses searches for authoritative data from sources such as the Food and Drug Administration’s Substances Added to Foods Database then analyzes the ingredient list to provide detailed, accurate, evidence-based definitions users can trust. The app transforms complex food science into actionable knowledge, empowering consumers to make informed choices based on science rather than fear or confusion.

The app was developed in response to various challenges facing consumers. These include misinformation about food additives, consumer concerns, a point-of-decision information gap, and the fact that authoritative information exists but is largely inaccessible to consumers – until now.

AI at Work

The tool relies on what’s called a Three-Agent AI System: It classifies foods, identifies additives, and generates contextualized explanations in plain language while maintaining consumer privacy. Consumers can scan ingredient labels and receive nearly instant, understandable explanations.

The app is also helpful to health professionals who can now access regulatory citations and technical information in real time. The app demonstrates how AI can solve tangible problems about the function of food additives and science translation, showcasing the positive educational potential of these technologies.

IAFNS Summer Research Assistant Yihang Feng, a graduate student at the University of Connecticut, developed the iOS application using on-device Large Language Model innovation and Retrieval-Augmented Generation to deliver results. It leverages an on-device – versus internet-driven – AI system for speed, data security, and privacy.

The app accesses information on over 4,000 FDA-approved additives. It also leverages a sampling index of over 10,000 branded products from the Department of Agriculture’s Global Branded Food Products Database. Its average processing speed for generating results is under 5 seconds. The app received strong positive feedback from beta testers who highlighted both its ease of use and educational value.

Embracing the Next Generation of Leaders

Every summer, IAFNS provides graduate students the opportunity to directly engage in food safety and nutrition science by leading a project in their field. This experience not only builds their research and leadership skills but also exposes them to the impact of multi-sector collaboration.

Graduate students like Yihang Feng work alongside IAFNS members from academia, government and industry to deliver meaningful project outcomes. In this case, seasoned professionals from all three sectors tested the app and provided key input. To see interviews and learn about research projects from past summer graduate students, click here.

The Food Additive Lens app is just one example of how IAFNS leverages AI to address information needs in the food and beverage ecosystem. Both researchers and consumers now have a robust and informative new AI-enhanced tool that solves a long-standing challenge – direct, reliable ingredient information when you need it.

The App is available on the App Store for iPhone 14 or above here.