Photograph the ingredient list and see whether it contains what you avoid

1. Set up a profile: open the default profile and enable the allergens you avoid.
2. Scan: photograph the ingredient list, or pick a photo from the library. Follow the framing hints to fit the whole list in view; the shot is taken automatically once aligned.
3. Read the result: the result page opens automatically after recognition. Found and possible ingredients are highlighted, along with where they appeared: the ingredient list, an advisory statement, or other text.
4. Switch profiles: when buying for a child or family member, switch to their profile and scan again.

Result	Meaning
Found	An allergen you enabled appears in the text, with confident recognition
Possible	Possibly related, or the text recognition was uncertain. Check the packaging
Not detected	None of your enabled allergens were found in the recognized text

InGuard is designed to over-report rather than under-report: hits with low recognition confidence are only marked “possible”. “Not detected” does not guarantee safety: the photo may be incomplete, reflective or partly covered. Advisory notes like “may contain” or “made on shared equipment” deserve your own look too.

The built-in keyword pack covers these 14 common allergen families:

Gluten, crustaceans, fish, eggs, peanuts, soy, milk, tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulfites, lupin and molluscs.

Each family comes with notes: which protein causes the reaction, how it is commonly written on ingredient lists, and related ingredients worth watching. The keyword data comes from Open Food Facts under the ODbL 1.0 license; the pack version and license details are shown in Settings.

For ingredients the pack does not cover, Pro’s custom keywords fill the gap.

	Free	Pro
Camera / library scanning	✓	✓
Allergen families per profile	Up to 3	All 14
Multiple profiles		✓
Custom keywords		Unlimited

Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription, bought and restored through the App Store.

Text recognition uses the iPhone’s built-in capabilities and matching uses the app’s bundled keyword pack; the whole process works without a network. InGuard has no account system, photos and recognized ingredient text are never uploaded, and full ingredient text is never written to logs.

The app only goes online when you explicitly ask it to:

• Buying or restoring Pro;
• Sending feedback email. The email only carries the app version, system version, device model and a result summary, never the full ingredient text; whether a photo is attached is your choice and is asked separately;
• Opening external pages such as the Open Food Facts terms or the ODbL license. You are told before they open.

InGuard is an assistive tool, not medical advice. Results can be affected by camera angle, lighting, fonts and packaging material. People with severe allergies should rely on the packaging text and their doctor’s guidance.

• Device: iPhone, iOS 17.6 or later.
• Interface languages: Chinese and English.
• Settings: automatically open the result after recognition, completion sound, replay the framing tutorial and the usage notice.