The App "Fooducate" enables smart phone users to scan a product's barcode by their camera, and then a nutrition grade along with product details will pop up on their phone screen. It also offers "browse" option, in which users can browse product by category or simply enter product name or barcode, and they will get a nutrition grade together with product details as well. The App has both Iphone and Android version. Non-smart phone users can go to Fooducate website and use their search engine online.
It sounds like an interesting App, so I downloaded a free version from Apple store store, and used it right away. Firstly I scanned my Hamburger Helper pasta & Sauce mix, the picture on the left is what I got. The nutrition grade of this product is C-, as you can see, there are some warnings in the middle of the screen: "contains trans-fats! Even if label says 0!"; "contains controversial artificial colors"; "Salty! have over 25% of the daily max"; and "made with refined flours, not whole grain". When I touched the option of "alternatives" on the bottom right of the screen, a few alternatives with better grades such as B, B- and C+ appeared. |
| Fooducate Logo |
The App is so easy to use, and it is fun to get nutrition grades for different food by just a simple scan of the barcode.
I was obviously exciting about this little App and tried to scan almost everything with a barcode. My Extra Winterfresh Gum got a grade of C-, my Ritz Cracker got a C, my Morton Salt got a C and my Quaker Oats got a B+(I though this would get an A!). I also scanned some products that could not be found by "Fooducate". For example, a bag of orange I bought from Sam's club, a Band-Aid box, a book and a lipstick. For these products, there was a notice popped up saying "we don't have this product, please help by taking 3 pics: 1. product front of package 2. nutrition label 3. ingredients".
After further research I found that Fooducate is promoting their App heavily. They made a commercial with a funny song, they have Fooducate Channel on YouTube, and they have exposure to a variety of news media, such as Newyork Times, abc, Fox News, etc. When using the App, I had a few doubts in my mind. What is the standard of their grading? is their analysis correct or accurate? how do they recommend alternative products? is it possible that they are advertising the recommended produts? However, with all these doubts in mind I still choose to use it, because it is free, it is fun to use, and it gives information.
Sources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFsC_4xFU8A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJvwfFakm0A&feature=BFa&list=UUrNsrnM5_Y0NvD-2xv2BPRw
Fooducate – Nutrition Education While You Shop
http://www.welljourn.org/2012/04/fooducate-nutrition-education-grocery/
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