Question 1

How does the kid's lunch checker work?

Accepted Answer

Paste any food product's ingredient list (from the back of the package). We cross-reference each ingredient against our FDA & EFSA additives database (3,971 substances) and surface the ones that regulators have flagged as concerning for children — including the 6 synthetic dyes the EU requires warning labels for, processed-meat preservatives the WHO classifies as carcinogens, and additives banned in Europe but still allowed in U.S. food.

Question 2

Which additives does the tool flag for children specifically?

Accepted Answer

ADHD-linked synthetic dyes (Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow); sodium nitrite and nitrate (IARC Group 1 carcinogens in processed meat); artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K, saccharin); titanium dioxide (banned in EU food since 2022); potassium bromate (banned in EU/UK/CA); BHA and BHT preservatives.

Question 3

Is this tool free? Is my data stored?

Accepted Answer

100% free, no signup, no account. The ingredient text you paste is sent to our analyzer once for matching and is not stored. We don't track your child's diet, attach the result to a profile, or sell the data — there's nothing to sell.

Question 4

Where does the safety data come from?

Accepted Answer

U.S. FDA Substances Added to Food, EFSA OpenFoodTox, OpenFDA Adverse Events, the IARC carcinogen monographs, and peer-reviewed studies cited on each individual additive page. Sources are linked on every additive's full profile.

Is your kid's lunch actually safe?

We use the same evidence pediatricians cite.