How do I check if a food is safe to eat during pregnancy?
Point your camera at the plate in front of you, the packet in your hand or the label on the back. Avo names what it sees, rates it for pregnancy and tells you why, in seconds, not search results.
Why 'can I eat this?' is so hard to answer
The answer depends on the detail
Cheese is fine or not depending on the milk, the rind and whether it is baked. Fish depends on the species and the serving. A search result rarely asks those questions; a scan can see them.
The rules differ by country
The FDA, the NHS and the French and German agencies disagree about soft cheese, runny eggs and sushi. Many apps apply one country's rule without saying which.
You are asked at the worst moment
At a deli counter, at a friend's table, with a waiter waiting. Nobody wants to read a 2,000-word article then. You want a verdict, a reason, and the option to read more later.
How the Avo food scanner answers it
Scan a plate
Take a photo of the meal. Avo names each part of it, rates the food safety as Safe, Caution or Avoid with the reason, and shows the nutrients it adds: protein, DHA, iron, folate, calcium. Tap Log and it counts towards today.
Scan a product or a label
Snap the front of a packet, the ingredients panel or the barcode. Avo reads the product, flags the pregnancy risk, in this case a soft white-rind cheese and a listeria warning, and tells you when the label was only partly readable.
See the rule behind the verdict
Every verdict carries its reason and links to the guidance behind it. Where the US, UK and EU differ, the food's page says so, and the same 365-food library is free on this site.
The scanner works with the rest of the app
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Is there an app that tells you if food is safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Avo Pregnancy rates a food from a photo of the plate, a photo of the product or label, or a barcode, returning Safe, Caution or Avoid with the reason. It draws on a library of 365 foods rated for pregnancy, which is also free to browse on this site.
How accurate is a pregnancy food scanner?
As accurate as the rule it applies and what it can see. A barcode or ingredients panel reads reliably; a photo of a plate is an estimate of what is on it. Avo tells you when a label was only partly readable. No scanner can see whether a dish was cooked through or how long it sat out, so the verdict is a prompt, not a guarantee.
Does the scanner work on packaged foods?
Yes. Snap the front of the pack, the ingredients or nutrition panel, or scan the barcode. Avo identifies the product, flags pregnancy risks such as unpasteurised milk or a mould-ripened cheese, and asks for the back of the pack if the front alone was not enough.
Which guidance does Avo use for its verdicts?
The food safety positions published by the NHS and the Food Standards Agency in the UK, the FDA and ACOG in the US, and EFSA and the national agencies in Europe. Where they differ, the food's page shows the difference. Our cheese in pregnancy guide is an example of how that looks.
Can I scan a restaurant menu too?
Yes, that is a separate feature: Scan Menu photographs the menu and sorts the dishes into Best Picks for You and Better to Skip, so the question is answered before you order.
Is the scanner free?
Avo Pregnancy is free to download and includes a limited number of free scans. Premium, at $29.99 a year or $3.99 a week in the US, unlocks unlimited scanning and the full recipe library. The food library, the week-by-week and the trackers do not need premium.
Is a scan medical advice?
No. Avo's verdicts are general food safety guidance compiled from public health bodies by an editorial team, not reviewed by clinicians, and they are not a substitute for your midwife or doctor. If you have eaten something you are worried about, our guide on what to do if you ate something you shouldn't explains the next steps.