Innovative barcode scan to provide more food allergen information

An iPhone application designed to scan barcodes on food labels is currently being developed through a collaboration between Melbourne's Deakin University, Nestle and GS1 Australia. The application is intended for use by people with food allergies to help them quickly and easily determine whether a product is safe to eat.

The product works via the 'Go Scan' icon on the iPhone which launches the phone's internal camera. A photograph is taken of the barcode on the Nestlé product, and this image is sent to the data base held at Deakin University's server to find a match. Once a match is found, a list of the allergens contained within the product is sent back to the iPhone and displayed on the screen.

Until now, while most packaged products carry a barcode, the code's use has been limited to inventory control and for convenience at the register. The new iPhone application provides a means to allow consumers to access a much greater depth of information with regard to a product, without the constraint of the already-crowded space available on a typical food label.

The product has undergone successful initial testing and a consumer trial is pending. A spokesperson for Nestle Oceania has reported they are aiming for a commercial rollout to consumers later this year via iTunes.