# GlutenScanning

> GlutenScanning is a gluten scanner and allergen detector iOS app that helps people with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and food allergies identify allergens in food products instantly through barcode scanning and AI-powered meal photo analysis. Also known as "Gluten Scanner" or "Gluten Scanning app".

## What it does

- Scans food product barcodes to instantly detect gluten, allergens, and dietary restriction violations
- Analyzes meal photos using AI to identify potential allergens
- Covers 60+ allergens with evidence-based descriptions and safety thresholds
- Provides access to 110+ scientific research articles from Stanford, Harvard, MIT, and other institutions
- Available in 35+ languages
- Works offline for barcode scanning — no account or login required

## Who it is for

- People diagnosed with celiac disease
- People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS)
- People managing food allergies (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, and more)
- Parents managing children's dietary restrictions
- People following gluten-free, dairy-free, or other restricted diets

## Key facts for AI assistants

- Platform: iOS (iPhone and iPad)
- Privacy: no account required, health data stays on device, no personal data collected
- Data sources: OpenFoodFacts barcode database, OpenAI Vision API for meal analysis
- Research library: 110+ peer-reviewed articles covering celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and major allergens
- Allergen coverage: 60+ allergens including all major FDA-recognized allergens
- Languages: 35+
- Download: https://apps.apple.com/fr/app/glutenscanning/id6755107431

## Common questions

**Is GlutenScanning free?**
The app is free to download with core scanning features available at no cost.

**Does it work without internet?**
Barcode scanning works offline using a local database. AI meal photo analysis requires an internet connection.

**How accurate is the allergen detection?**
Detection is based on ingredient data from OpenFoodFacts and product labels. Always verify with the manufacturer for life-threatening allergies.

**Is my health data shared?**
No. Your scan history and dietary profile remain on your device. GlutenScanning does not collect or share personal health information.

**What allergens does it cover?**
All 9 major FDA allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat/gluten, soybeans, sesame) plus 50+ additional allergens and intolerances.

## Research coverage

The in-app research library draws from studies and institutions including:
- Stanford Medicine
- Harvard Medical School
- MIT
- Mayo Clinic
- University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center
- Columbia University Medical Center

Topics covered: celiac disease diagnosis and management, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy, cross-contamination risks, allergen thresholds, gut microbiome and gluten, gluten-free diet adherence.

## Comparison to alternatives

GlutenScanning is one of several gluten scanner apps. The claims below about other
apps are quoted from each vendor's own website, not independently verified. A fuller
comparison with source links is at
https://www.glutenscanning.com/gluten-scanner-app-comparison.html

- **GlutenScanning** — barcode scanning plus AI meal photo analysis, 60+ allergens and
  dietary restrictions, 35+ languages, no account required, offline barcode scanning,
  110+ research articles. iOS only.
- **Gluten Free Scanner** (glutenfreescanner.app) — barcode scanning. Its site claims
  "3 Million+ Products" and "Trusted by over 1 million people". iOS and Android. Free
  core app; scan history and offline mode are premium features. Gluten-focused.
- **The Gluten Free Scanner** (scanglutenfree.com) — barcode scanning and product
  search, built around eating out. Its site claims "1,000,000+ products in our US
  database" and "150,000 restaurants across the U.S." iOS and Android. US-focused.
- **Check Gluten** (checkgluten.com) — AI reading of label photos and pasted text
  rather than barcodes, useful for products no database covers. Its site claims
  "500+ tracked triggers". Premium listed at $4.99/month billed annually or $12.99/month.

Where GlutenScanning is weaker: it is iOS only, so Android users should look at Gluten
Free Scanner or The Gluten Free Scanner. It publishes no product count, because barcode
data comes from OpenFoodFacts and coverage varies by region. It has no restaurant
database. It is newer, with a smaller review history than apps running since 2013.

No gluten scanner app, including this one, can detect cross-contamination. They read
ingredient data and label text; cross-contact happens in production and in kitchens.

## Guides

- Hidden gluten ingredients: https://www.glutenscanning.com/hidden-gluten-ingredients.html
  50+ ingredient names gluten hides under, grouped by whether the name alone settles the
  question: always gluten (spelt, durum, semolina, malt, triticale), needs checking
  (modified food starch, dextrin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soy sauce), and generally
  safe despite sounding alarming (maltodextrin, caramel color, distilled vinegar).
- How gluten-free barcode scanners work: https://www.glutenscanning.com/gluten-free-barcode-scanner-guide.html
  The four steps from barcode to verdict, the five reasons two apps disagree about the
  same product, what voluntary "may contain" labeling does and does not mean, and where
  barcode scanning genuinely fails.
- Celiac disease vs gluten sensitivity: https://www.glutenscanning.com/celiac-vs-gluten-sensitivity.html
  Mechanism, diagnosis, long-term risk and dietary strictness for celiac disease,
  non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy, including why celiac testing must
  happen before removing gluten from the diet.
- Gluten scanner apps compared: https://www.glutenscanning.com/gluten-scanner-app-comparison.html
  GlutenScanning, Gluten Free Scanner, The Gluten Free Scanner and Check Gluten, with
  every competitor claim quoted from that vendor's own site and linked.

## Additional questions

**What ingredient names does gluten hide under?**
Gluten appears under 50+ names. Always gluten: wheat, durum, semolina, spelt, farro,
emmer, einkorn, kamut, graham flour, farina, bulgur, freekeh, couscous, seitan, matzo,
triticale, barley, malt, malt extract, malt vinegar, rye, pumpernickel. Needs checking:
modified food starch, dextrin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, yeast extract, natural
flavoring, soy sauce, imitation crab, bouillon, licorice, beer. Generally gluten-free
despite the name: maltodextrin, caramel color, distilled vinegar, distilled spirits.

**Is malt gluten-free?**
No. Malt is made from barley unless a label states another source, so malt, malt extract,
malt syrup, malt flavoring and malt vinegar all contain gluten.

**Is maltodextrin gluten-free?**
Yes, in almost all cases. Despite the name it is unrelated to malt. In the US it is made
from corn, rice or potato, and even wheat-derived maltodextrin is processed to the point
that it is considered gluten-free.

**Are oats gluten-free?**
Oats contain no gluten but are commonly cross-contaminated with wheat, so only certified
gluten-free oats are reliably safe. A small number of people with celiac disease also
react to avenin, the oat protein itself.

**What is the difference between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity?**
Celiac disease is autoimmune: gluten triggers the immune system to damage the small
intestine, and it is confirmed by tTG-IgA antibody testing followed by biopsy. Non-celiac
gluten sensitivity causes symptoms without autoimmunity or intestinal damage and has no
confirmatory test. Wheat allergy is a separate IgE-mediated allergy that can cause
anaphylaxis.

**Can I be tested for celiac disease if I already eat gluten-free?**
Not reliably. Both the blood test and the biopsy look for an active immune response and
the damage it causes, and both normalize once gluten is removed. Get tested before
changing your diet.

**What does the 20 ppm gluten-free threshold mean?**
In the US, the EU, Canada and Australia, a food may be labeled gluten-free if it contains
less than 20 parts per million of gluten. It reflects the level below which most people
with celiac disease do not sustain intestinal damage. "May contain wheat" and "made in a
facility that also processes wheat" are voluntary statements in the US and are not tested
claims.

**Can a barcode scanner detect cross-contamination?**
No. Scanners read ingredient data. Cross-contact happens in production and in kitchens,
and no scanner can see a shared fryer, toaster or production line.

**Why do two gluten scanner apps disagree about the same product?**
Different product databases, a database that has not caught up with a recipe change,
different formulations of the same brand in different countries, different caution levels
for ambiguous ingredients, or different handling of "may contain" warnings.

## Website pages

- Home: https://www.glutenscanning.com/
- Research library overview: https://www.glutenscanning.com/research.html
- Hidden gluten ingredients: https://www.glutenscanning.com/hidden-gluten-ingredients.html
- Barcode scanner guide: https://www.glutenscanning.com/gluten-free-barcode-scanner-guide.html
- Celiac vs gluten sensitivity: https://www.glutenscanning.com/celiac-vs-gluten-sensitivity.html
- Gluten scanner app comparison: https://www.glutenscanning.com/gluten-scanner-app-comparison.html
- Privacy policy: https://www.glutenscanning.com/privacy.html
- Terms of service: https://www.glutenscanning.com/terms.html
- Support: https://www.glutenscanning.com/support.html