Frequently Asked Questions

BioBrief is a free food scanning appthat helps you understand what's in the food you eat. Scan a barcode or a product label and instantly get detailed information about ingredients, additives (E-numbers), allergens and nutritional values. Available on iOS and Android with over 250,000 downloads.

You can scan products in two ways: by barcode or by taking a photo of the ingredients label. The app uses artificial intelligence to analyze the ingredients and provide detailed information about each component — including additives, allergens, nutritional values and a health score.

Reading the printed ingredient list analyzes the exact product in your hand. A barcode lookup only shows a stored database record, which may describe an older version of the product. By reading the label directly, BioBrief reflects the current recipe in the package you are holding. You can still scan a barcode for a quick lookup whenever you prefer.

Usually, yes. Manufacturers reformulate recipes regularly, and a barcode database only reflects those changes once someone updates the entry — which can take months or may not happen at all. The printed label always shows the current ingredients, so reading it directly keeps your results up to date. Learn more in our label scanner vs barcode scanner guide.

Yes. Because BioBrief reads the text printed on the package, it works on new products, store brands, limited editions and imported items that a barcode database may not have a record for. See why this matters on our most accurate food scanner page.

Yes, BioBrief can be downloaded and used for free. There is also an optional Premium subscription that offers advanced features such as unlimited scans, unrestricted Geneva AI access and all app features unlocked.

Geneva AI is the intelligent nutritional assistant built into BioBrief. You can ask it questions about nutrition, healthy recipes or anything related to your dietary health. Geneva provides personalized answers based on the latest nutritional science. Learn more on the Geneva AI page.

After scanning a product, the app highlights all additives (E-numbers) present and classifies them on a scale from safe to potentially harmful. Each additive comes with a detailed explanation of what it is, which foods contain it and what health effects it may have.

Yes, BioBrief automatically identifies potential allergens in products, including gluten, milk, eggs, nuts, soy and other common allergens. You can set up an allergy profile to receive personalized warnings every time you scan a product.

The calorie calculator lets you compute the full nutritional value of foods: calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber and micronutrients. You can add custom portions and track your daily intake. Try it here.

BioBrief is available on both iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android. You can download the app for free from the App Store or Google Play.

If you received a Premium code (from a content creator, a campaign or as a gift), open the app, go to the Premium section and enter your code. Activation is instant and you'll get access to all Premium features. You can also redeem your code online.

Barcode scanning requires an internet connection to access the product database. However, some features like scan history and products saved to favorites are available offline.

If you scan a product that isn't in the database yet, you can contribute by adding it directly from the app. Take a photo of the label, fill in the information and the product becomes available to the entire BioBrief community.

Yes, BioBrief complies with GDPR regulations and data protection laws. We do not sell user data and use encryption to protect your information. Read our privacy policy for full details.