Ingredient Scanner & Red Flag Detector

Know What's Really in Your Products

Scan any product to detect ingredient red flags, harmful additives, artificial sweeteners, risky oils, and allergens. Get a Health Score from 0 to 100.

Scan Ingredients Free

Ingredient Red Flags We Detect

Artificial Colors

Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1 — linked to hyperactivity and behavioral issues in children

Controversial Preservatives

BHA, BHT, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, potassium bromate — some classified as possible carcinogens

Artificial Sweeteners

Aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, neotame — controversial long-term effects

Risky Oils

Soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, partially hydrogenated oils — highly processed seed oils

Other Additives

Carrageenan, MSG (monosodium glutamate) — common in ultra-processed foods

Health Score Scale

Every product gets a score from 0 to 100 based on its ingredients:

90+
Excellent
75+
Good
60+
Fair
40+
Poor
<40
Avoid Often

What Affects the Health Score?

Score goes DOWN for:

Score goes UP for:

Allergen Detection

Every scan detects the FDA's Big 9 allergens:

Milk · Eggs · Fish · Shellfish · Tree Nuts · Peanuts · Wheat · Soybeans · Sesame

Allergens are highlighted with amber warnings so you can quickly identify if a product is safe for you or your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredient red flags should I watch for?

The biggest red flags are artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5), preservatives (BHA, BHT), artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose), risky oils (soybean, canola, partially hydrogenated), and controversial additives (carrageenan, MSG). Product Scans flags all of these automatically.

How accurate is the ingredient scanner?

For barcode lookups, ingredient data comes from the Open Food Facts database. For label scans, AI reads the ingredient list directly from your photo. Both methods check against the same red flag database.

Can I scan a product label with my phone?

Yes. At productscans.com, tap "Scan Product Label with Camera" to photograph any product label. The AI reads the ingredients directly from the image.

What does "ultra-processed" mean?

Products with more than 20 ingredients are flagged as highly processed. Products with 10-20 ingredients are flagged as moderately processed. Fewer ingredients generally indicates a less processed product.

Scan Ingredients Now