In the kind of moment most app developers only dream of, a stranger approached my parents as they decided between food brands in Target the other day and told them, “You need the Yuka app!”
They immediately downloaded it and started scanning. And scanning. And then they got me scanning. It’s gamified nutrition. You want to scan. It’s also the missing handbook to grocery stores today. Why read through all of the ingredients when you can just scan and move on?
It’s also handing power over what we eat to an app. Yuka says they’re independent and neutral, but they’re still making decisions based on criteria you might not share. Is xanthan gum poison? Are you allowed to eat cheese? The main reasons I’ve seen products score low are that they contain fat, sodium, or additives.
It’s interesting that Yuka is based in the EU, where food is regulated and consumed very differently than here in the US. While it’s nice to have a guide to food safety, I’d prefer higher quality food to an app that’s taking advantage of my uncertainty about what I’m eating.
I’ll keep scanning for educational purposes, but ultimately make my own choices.
Air Fryer Burrito 
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