{"article":{"id":360020441392,"url":"https://cronometer.zendesk.com/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/360020441392.json","html_url":"https://support.cronometer.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020441392-Mobile-Scan-Food","author_id":31573368124692,"comments_disabled":true,"draft":false,"promoted":false,"position":1,"vote_sum":308,"vote_count":482,"section_id":39445662370068,"created_at":"2018-12-07T18:09:07Z","updated_at":"2026-10-04T13:12:44Z","name":"Mobile - Scan Food","title":"Mobile - Scan Food","source_locale":"en-us","locale":"en-us","outdated":false,"outdated_locales":[],"edited_at":"2026-06-24T22:06:08Z","user_segment_id":null,"permission_group_id":123786,"content_tag_ids":[],"label_names":["barcode","bar code"],"body":"

You can use the barcode scanner to quickly find foods in our database!

Learn about:

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  1. Scanning a food
    2. \n
  2. Submitting a Label for Review
    3. \n

Scan Food

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  1. Tap on the plus button at the bottom of the screen
    2. \n
  2. Tap on Scan Food


     
    3. \n
  3. You will be prompted to scan the barcode on the package. The camera will capture the barcode automatically without having to tap any button. 

    \"IMG_7512.PNG\"\n
    4. \n

If you are unable to scan the barcode, you can manually enter the barcode number by tapping on Type Barcode at the bottom of the screen.

Your camera may have trouble focusing on the barcode if:

Once the barcode has been scanned, you will be directed to the food listing where you can enter your serving size and add the food to your diary.

Submitting a Label for Review

If the food item is not already in our database, you can create a Custom Food that will automatically be submitted to our public database:

After scanning a barcode, you will receive a pop up if the food item is not in our database

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  1. Tap on Create New

    \"IMG_7511

     
    2. \n
  2. Take photos of the Nutrition Facts table and Package Front

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    3. \n
  3. Manually fill in name, serving size etc. If the label is an American label, your serving size and nutrition information will be automatically filled in

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    4. \n
  4. Tap Next > Save Food 
    5. \n

Once our curation team has reviewed this food, it will be added to our public database.     

Please take clear and complete photos of the label. We use these photos to verify the product you are submitting, so they MUST be readable and complete. Many brands have multiple formulations of the same product with only slightly different nutrition information, so we need to be able to easily determine if this is a product we already have in the database, or if it is a unique formulation that requires a new database listing.

Nutrition Facts Table:

The first photo should be of the nutrition facts table. If the nutrition information is not laid out in a table format, you can still submit it; just make sure you have captured the complete information. You do NOT need to include the barcode in the photo.

Here is an example of a photo that will NOT be accepted into the database in this case:

      \"mceclip3.png\"         

Package Front:

The second photo should include the brand name, Product name, and any descriptive information such as flavor. We must be able to see all this information. If we are unable to completely read the nutrition facts table, this package and brand information is helpful to us to find the nutrition information online.

Here are some examples of photos that will NOT be accepted into the database in this case:\"mceclip2.png\"

Items such as tea and coffee, packaged whole foods such as lettuce blends or fruit trays that do not contain nutritional information on the package will not be accepted into the database. Please use lab-analyzed data from one of our other sources or enter your food as a custom food for your personal use in this case.

Here are some examples of photos that will NOT be accepted into the database in this case:

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"}}