WILMINGTON, DE — SnackSafe launched an artificial intelligence-powered food allergy app during Food Allergy Awareness Week, targeting a growing market of families seeking faster ways to identify allergen risks in packaged foods and restaurant meals.
The new app, SnackPro, uses image-analysis technology to scan food packaging, restaurant dishes, and homemade meals for potential allergens and dietary concerns, reflecting broader efforts to apply AI tools to consumer health and safety applications.
The launch comes as food allergies affect an estimated 33 million Americans, including roughly one in 13 children, according to Food Allergy Research & Education.
Founder Allon Mason said the app was developed after his daughter experienced multiple severe allergic reactions.
“I built this app because my daughter almost died by eating something that we didn’t know she was allergic to,” Mason said. “Following this anaphylactic nightmare, I kept thinking there had to be a faster, easier way for families to get critical food information before a bite turns into an emergency.”
Users upload allergy information into the app and scan foods using a smartphone camera. SnackPro then categorizes results as “contains,” “doesn’t appear to contain,” or “may contain” allergens based on the user’s dietary profile.
The app is designed to identify common allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, soy, shellfish, sesame, and gluten, while also flagging nutritional and dietary indicators such as sodium levels, saturated fat, vegan compatibility, kosher compliance, and halal suitability.
SnackSafe is positioning the product as both a consumer safety tool and a communication platform for families managing allergies across schools, restaurants, childcare settings, and international travel.
Features include food-label scanning in more than 40 languages, bilingual allergy cards for restaurants and caregivers, shareable scan histories, and voice-enabled allergen input aimed at younger children and non-readers.
“Kids who don’t even know how to read and write can speak their allergens into the app,” Mason said. “We wanted to create something simple enough for families to use in stressful moments when every second matters.”
Melissa Mason, Mason’s nine-year-old daughter, described the app’s origins as stemming from difficulties reading foreign-language ingredient labels while traveling.
“When the taxi driver gave me candy, my dad had to take pictures of the wrapper and zoom in really close to read what was in it,” she said. “Now when we go to a convenience store or a restaurant, and I want to try something, we can use the app, and it just takes seconds.”
SnackPro is available through the Apple App Store with 30 free scans before subscription charges begin at $7.99 per month. The company said it plans to donate 10% of profits to food allergy organizations.
The launch reflects growing commercial interest in AI-assisted health screening tools as companies seek to apply machine-learning technology to consumer wellness, nutrition tracking, and medical-risk management.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.