Data Sources
A match is only as useful as the data behind it. Here’s plainly where FoodBuddy’s ingredient, allergen, and (where available) nutrition information comes from, how it’s kept current, and where its limits are.
What FoodBuddy draws on
FoodBuddy’s product and ingredient database is built from publicly available food product and ingredient data. The ingredient list and allergen statement printed on a product’s own packaging is treated as the ultimate source of truth for that specific product — our data is built to reflect the label, never to override it. On top of that base, our own curated ingredient dictionary (see Methodology) groups each substance together with the alternative names and spellings it appears under on real labels, so a scan can recognize an ingredient however the manufacturer chose to print it.
Public product data
Baseline ingredient and allergen information drawn from publicly available food product data.
The label wins
The ingredient list and allergen statement printed on the package is the reference we build toward.
Community corrections
Reports from users are reviewed and used to fix and fill gaps over time.
Regular updates
The on-device database ships with app releases, with more frequent updates for Plus subscribers.
Keeping it current
The database ships with the app and is refreshed in releases, with more frequent offline database updates for Plus subscribers. Packaged foods can change recipe or supplier without notice, so a database entry can occasionally lag behind the exact product in your hand — which is exactly why every match links back to the label text FoodBuddy actually recognized, so you can check it against the pack yourself rather than take it on faith. Full detail on how scanning and matching work is on Methodology.
Reporting a correction
If you spot a product where our data looks outdated, incomplete, or wrong, tell us — via the feedback board or by emailing us. Reports like this get reviewed and folded into future updates; it’s a feedback loop with real people on the other end, not a one-way broadcast.
What this means for accuracy
FoodBuddy shows how confident it is in every match — direct match, keyword match, or unconfirmed — rather than presenting every result as equally certain. A missing match is never a guarantee that an ingredient is absent, and a match is never a guarantee of exactly how it’s present. Treat FoodBuddy as a fast, honest first read of the label, not the final word — the printed package always outranks the app.
Related: Methodology · Contact us · Product limits