How to Check if a Product Is Lactose-Free in Store?

Good news: we have developed a mobile app, lactose.help, that does all the work for you. It analyzes the maximum lactose concentration of a product based on its ingredient list and nutritional composition. And to use it, nothing could be simpler: scan the barcode, and the result appears. That's it.

Scan Methodology

Understanding Our Technology

Our lactose detection system combines barcode recognition, image analysis, searching food databases, and advanced algorithms to determine if a product can be safely consumed by lactose intolerant individuals. All of this happens in just a few seconds.

Lactose Tolerance for an Intolerant

According to an EFSA study, lactose intolerant individuals can generally consume between 6 and 12g per day, spread over three meals. The most sensitive experience symptoms from 3g onward. However, a dose of 1g per meal is compatible with all forms of intolerance.

Understanding the Lacto-Score (A-E)

To make the results readable at a glance, we developed the Lacto-Score. A five-level scale inspired by Nutri-Score to instantly identify whether a product suits you or not.

A - Safe. 0g lactose per 100g. Completely lactose-free, safe for everyone. B - Generally Safe. ≤0.5g lactose per 100g. An insignificant trace, perfectly tolerated in the vast majority of cases. C - Caution. ≤1g lactose per 100g. Moderate content, to be consumed with caution depending on your sensitivity. D - Risky. ≤1.5g lactose per 100g. High lactose, likely to cause symptoms. E - High Risk. >1.5g lactose per 100g. To be avoided in case of intolerance, clearly.

And if the product is absent from our database, the app alerts you directly. A manual ingredient analysis is then necessary.

How Our Scan Works

Step 1 - Barcode or photo recognition. You scan the barcode, our system identifies the product and immediately searches food databases. Instant detection, product identification, ingredient information retrieval. Step 2 - Querying databases. We query multiple sources in parallel to retrieve the complete ingredient list and nutritional information. Step 3 - If the product doesn’t exist in the database, the app uses artificial intelligence to analyze the ingredients, detect sensitive keywords, estimate lactose content based on photos of the nutritional composition and ingredient list to assess the reliability index of the result. Step 4 - Viewing the result. An intuitive color code, lactose content expressed in grams, detailed information. Everything is clear and readable.

Photo Analysis

When you scan a photo of a label, our AI uses optical character recognition to extract text and analyze the ingredient list. For best results, some tips: good lighting, a stable camera close to the text, a clearly readable ingredient list, and avoid shadows and glare. It makes all the difference.

Limitations

Results are estimates based on available data. Some products may not appear in our database. Product composition can change without notice, vary by region, and risks of cross-contamination are not always detectable.

⚠️ Important: If you have severe lactose intolerance, always check labels and consult a healthcare professional. Moreover, this app is designed for lactose intolerant individuals and is not suitable for people allergic to milk proteins.

So, curious to try it? Visit https://book.lactose.help