Help

Last updated October 15, 2026

Need a hand? Email [email protected]. It goes to the person who makes BiteFax, and it's fine for any question, not only privacy. We usually reply within a few days.

Getting started

Tap Scan a barcode and allow the camera.
Hold the barcode flat in the frame, with a little blank space on each side. The app reads it on its own; there's nothing to press.
Read the result. Each tracked additive in the product gets a row showing how the US, EU, UK, and Canada treat it.

No camera, or the barcode won't read? Type the number printed under the barcode into Or type the number under the barcode, then tap Look up.

How to read a result

Each flagged additive has a strip of four boxes: US, EU, UK, and CA (Canada). Each box shows what that country's food law says.

What it says	What it means
Allowed	The country's food regulator lets companies use it.
Allowed, with limits	Allowed, but only up to a set amount or only in certain foods.
Warning label required	Allowed, but the package has to carry a set warning.
Being phased out	Approval has been withdrawn, with a deadline to stop using it.
Not on the approved list	The regulator hasn't approved it for food. That's a legal status. It doesn't mean anyone has found it harmful.
We could not verify this	We couldn't confirm this country's rule. The link shows where we looked.

Tap an additive to open it. Inside you'll find the regulator's own words, a link to the law, and the date we last checked it. Some additives also list US state laws (California, West Virginia, and Texas) that differ from federal rules, and say plainly when a court has put one on hold.

A few terms: "UK" means Great Britain, because Northern Ireland follows EU food rules. "Parts per million" means grams per million grams of food.

Others in the same aisle lists similar products that came back without any of the additives we track. It's a starting point, not a recommendation.

What BiteFax doesn't do

It isn't health advice. It shows what each country's law says, with a link to the law. Ask a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
It checks a set list of additives, currently 25. "None of the additives BiteFax tracks" means none from that list, not that the food has no additives.
It doesn't check nutrition, allergens, sugar, salt, or how processed a food is.
It relies on other people's ingredient lists. Ingredients come from Open Food Facts (built by volunteers) and USDA FoodData Central. Either can be incomplete or out of date, so the package in your hand is always the final word.

Common problems

The camera won't read the barcode

Move the phone back a little. Too close is the most common cause.
Keep some blank space on both sides of the barcode.
In dim light, tap Light to turn on the flashlight.
Still stuck? Type the number under the barcode instead.

The camera is blocked

On iPhone, open Settings, find BiteFax, and turn Camera on. In Safari, tap aA in the address bar, then Website Settings, and set Camera to Allow.

"Product not found," or the ingredients look wrong

That product isn't in the food databases yet, or its entry is wrong. You can add or fix it for everyone on Open Food Facts, and BiteFax will pick it up. You're also welcome to email us the barcode number.

I think a country's rule is wrong

Please tell us. Send the additive, the country, and a link if you have one. We check every rule against the regulator's own source, and we fix mistakes.

Clearing your scan list

Your recent scans stay on your phone only. Tap Clear my scans under Your scans to erase them.

Privacy

No accounts, no ads, and no tracking. Your camera never sends pictures anywhere. The full details are in our privacy policy.

Contact

Email [email protected] for help, corrections, or privacy questions.