FAQ
Learn more about PureScan, food additives, allergens, Halal and Kosher analysis, and how the app helps you understand food labels.
Are all E-numbers harmful to human health?
No. An E-number simply identifies a food additive that has been evaluated and authorised for specific uses under food regulations. Some E-numbers represent familiar substances such as vitamin C, citric acid and natural pigments, while others are preservatives, sweeteners or artificial colours.
The safety of an additive depends on the substance, dose, frequency of exposure and individual health factors. PureScan evaluates additives individually and provides context instead of treating every E-number as harmful.
What does PureScan do?
PureScan is an AI-powered food scanner designed to help you understand packaged foods more easily.
After scanning a product, PureScan can analyse its ingredients, food additives and nutrition information and provide information about potential concerns based on recognised sources such as the FDA, EFSA, WHO and IARC.
Premium features also include allergen detection, Halal and Kosher analysis, an AI nutrition assistant, family profiles, restaurant menu scanning and alternative product suggestions.
How is PureScan different from a normal barcode scanner?
Traditional barcode scanners often retrieve information from an existing product database.
PureScan goes further by using AI to analyse the available product information and explain ingredients, additives and potential concerns in context.
Instead of simply assigning a colour or score, PureScan aims to explain why an ingredient may be relevant and how factors such as dose and individual dietary requirements can affect the interpretation.
Can PureScan identify harmful food additives?
PureScan can analyse food additives found in a product and provide information about their known uses, regulatory status and potential health concerns.
The presence of an additive does not automatically mean that a food is dangerous.
PureScan is designed to distinguish between authorised food additives, additives that may require additional attention and ingredients that may be relevant only to certain individuals or dietary conditions.
How does PureScan assess Halal status?
PureScan analyses available ingredient information and looks for ingredients that may be permissible, prohibited or uncertain under Halal dietary requirements.
Some ingredients cannot be reliably classified from their name alone because their source or manufacturing process may vary.
In these cases, PureScan may report the status as uncertain rather than presenting an unsupported definitive answer.
PureScan provides informational guidance and does not replace certification from a recognised Halal authority.
Why can a Halal result sometimes be uncertain?
Some food ingredients can come from more than one source.
For example, certain flavourings, emulsifiers, enzymes or processing aids may be produced from plant, microbial or animal sources.
If the product label does not reveal enough information to determine the original source, a definitive Halal classification may not be possible.
An uncertain result means that additional manufacturer information or recognised Halal certification may be needed.
Does PureScan check for food allergens?
Yes. PureScan can analyse product ingredients for common allergens and compare them with information in your personal or family profile.
Potential allergens can include ingredients associated with gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts and other common food sensitivities.
Always check the physical product label before consuming a food, particularly if you have a diagnosed food allergy.
Can PureScan help people who need to avoid gluten?
PureScan can analyse ingredient information and identify ingredients that may contain gluten.
This can include obvious sources such as wheat as well as less obvious ingredients involving barley, rye or malt.
However, cross-contact information and manufacturing conditions may not always be available from product data.
People with celiac disease should always verify the physical label and any relevant gluten-free certification.
Can I use PureScan for my whole family?
Yes. PureScan includes family profiles that allow different dietary preferences and allergy information to be managed for individual family members.
This makes it possible to evaluate a product in relation to more than one person's needs.
Can PureScan scan restaurant menus?
Yes. PureScan includes a restaurant menu scanning feature.
Users can scan supported menu information and analyse dishes against dietary preferences and allergy information before ordering.
Restaurant recipes and preparation methods can change, so people with serious allergies should still confirm ingredients and cross-contact risks directly with the restaurant.
Does PureScan give medical advice?
No.
PureScan provides informational analysis and is not a substitute for a doctor, registered dietitian or other qualified healthcare professional.
Food additive information, nutrition analysis and allergy alerts should be used as additional information rather than as a medical diagnosis.
Does PureScan replace Halal or Kosher certification?
No.
PureScan can analyse available ingredients and identify potential concerns, but it cannot replace certification from an authorised Halal or Kosher certification organisation.
Some ingredients require information about their source, manufacturing process or processing aids that may not appear on a consumer label.
How accurate is PureScan?
PureScan combines available product information with AI analysis and information from recognised food safety authorities.
However, manufacturers can change formulations, product databases can contain incomplete information and some ingredient sources are not disclosed on packaging.
For this reason, PureScan recommends checking the physical product label before consumption.
Does PureScan use official food safety sources?
PureScan's analysis is designed to use evidence and regulatory information from recognised organisations including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Food Safety Authority, World Health Organization and International Agency for Research on Cancer where relevant.
The goal is to provide context about an ingredient rather than simply labelling unfamiliar ingredients as dangerous.
Is PureScan free?
PureScan includes free features such as barcode scanning, ingredient information, nutrition values, community reviews and food safety news.
Additional AI-powered features are available through PureScan Premium, including detailed additive analysis, allergen detection, Halal and Kosher analysis, the AI Nutrition Assistant, family profiles, restaurant menu scanning and alternative product suggestions.
Where can I download PureScan?
PureScan – AI Food Scanner is available for Android through Google Play.