After discovering that her son had food allergies, the creator of 'My Food Detective' went through what millions of other parents have experienced. Trips to the grocery store changed from quick errands to hours-long ordeals, reading labels from a hobby to a two-person job, and food in general became a task rather than a joy. This prompted her to create My Food Detective, an allergen-detection app that speeds up the process of shopping and makes people confident in what they serve to themselves and their families.
My Food Detective uses one's smartphone camera to read the barcodes on packaged foods. It has a deep inventory of products, so it has a very high likelihood of recognizing the product in question — on the off chance it doesn't, users can even automatically set that product to 'Safe' or 'Not Safe'. It recognizes allergens based on the settings users input, accepting anything from gluten to wheat to nuts to red dye.
Food Allergy Detectives
'My Food Detective' Assess the Ingredients of Packaged Foods
Trend Themes
1. Food Allergen Detection - Opportunity for developing innovative technologies or apps that can quickly and accurately detect allergens in packaged food products using smartphone cameras and barcode scanning.
2. Streamlined Shopping Experience - Potential for creating tools or platforms that simplify the process of grocery shopping for individuals with dietary restrictions, making it faster and more efficient.
3. Personalized Allergen Settings - Room for customization in allergen-detection apps, allowing users to input their specific allergens and receive personalized recommendations for safe or unsafe products.
Industry Implications
1. Food Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity for food technology companies to develop advanced methods or apps for allergen detection and analysis.
2. Retail Industry - Potential for retailers to integrate allergen-detection technology into their online shopping platforms, providing a seamless experience for customers with food allergies.
3. Healthcare and Wellness - Opportunity for healthcare and wellness companies to collaborate on the development of allergen-detection tools or apps that promote better food safety and allergy management.