Any Celiacs on here? Built a free grocery scanner for my MIL, want y'all to have it.

2,417 Views | 29 Replies | Last: 19 hrs ago by LarryLayman
will25u
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3:27p, 5/18/26
Howdy,

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with Celiac a few years ago, and I quickly learned that grocery shopping with that diagnosis is a complete nightmare. You end up staring at labels for 5 minutes trying to figure out if "yeast extract" or "natural flavors" is going to make you sick.

To help her out, I spent the last few months building a free tool that parses ingredient lists and cross-references them to flag hidden gluten. I recently made it public for anyone to use:

https://glutensense.org

You can search manually or use it on your phone as a barcode scanner in the aisles. It'll tell you if a product is Safe, Caution, or Not Safe, and highlight the exact problem ingredients.

I've got the backend processing about 1,000 new products a week, and the database just crossed 6,000 items.

My ask: If you, your spouse, or your kids are gluten-free, please feel free to use thisI hope it makes your grocery runs a little easier!

Also, if anyone just wants to poke around, search for some random pantry items, and try to break the search engine so I can fix the bugs, I would really appreciate the feedback.

Thanks!

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713nervy
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3:35p, 5/18/26
AG
This is so cool! Wild that another solution for this didn't already exist, especially since it is becoming a fairly common problem for people. What a great thing to do for your mom-in-law. Thank you for sharing.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to 713nervy • 3:41p, 5/18/26
713nervy said:
This is so cool! Wild that another solution for this didn't already exist, especially since it is becoming a fairly common problem for people. What a great thing to do for your mom-in-law. Thank you for sharing.


Agreed on all points.
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swimmerbabe11
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3:41p, 5/18/26
I feel like Sprouts has a lot of options
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will25u
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In reply to 713nervy • 3:48p, 5/18/26
713nervy said:
This is so cool! Wild that another solution for this didn't already exist, especially since it is becoming a fairly common problem for people. What a great thing to do for your mom-in-law. Thank you for sharing.

This definitely spiraled from a small weekend project into a massive database once I realized how bad the problem was.

I haven't really put the site out anywhere until today. I did have the pages submitted to search engines, but hadn't really spoke about it anywhere. And since I post a lot here on TexAgs(politics), I thought I would drop it here.

I just hope that it can help someone with the hassle or starting knowledge of Celiac or gluten intolerance.

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La Fours
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4:07p, 5/18/26
AG
Very cool.

Do you think you could make a similar app that helps identify hidden sources of MSG?
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to La Fours • 4:57p, 5/18/26
La Fours said:
Very cool.

Do you think you could make a similar app that helps identify hidden sources of MSG?


And seed oils!
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fc2112
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5:03p, 5/18/26
My wife has celiac. Thank you.
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fc2112
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5:12p, 5/18/26
BTW - I tried scanning Fairlife Protein drink and it didn't find it.
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Ol_Ag_02
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In reply to will25u • 6:30p, 5/18/26
AG
Good on you! Share with the H&F board.
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will25u
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In reply to fc2112 • 7:08p, 5/18/26
fc2112 said:
BTW - I tried scanning Fairlife Protein drink and it didn't find it.

Just for you!

https://glutensense.org/is-fairlife-nutrition-plan-chocolate-nutrition-shake-gluten-free/

I have the scanner log any UPCs that aren't in the DB already. So your one UPC was all that was in there. And voila! Your Fairlife UPC now has a page!

maroon barchetta said:
La Fours said:
Very cool.

Do you think you could make a similar app that helps identify hidden sources of MSG?


And seed oils!

This might be very easy to do. I wouldn't make a whole app/website for it, but I could definitely parse the ingredients for MSG/Seed Oil ingredients and add pills to the lifestyle area in the table "No MSG" and "Seed Oil Free" or something like that. It is already implemented with other lifestyle pills in the table, but you could then click on the No MSG pill and be taken to all the products that have No MSG.

swimmerbabe11 said:
I feel like Sprouts has a lot of options

Sprouts is good about gluten-free. HEB also labels their store brand products.

Ol_Ag_02 said:
Good on you! Share with the H&F board.

I'm on it!
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JMac03
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7:58p, 5/18/26
AG
I have a Texager travel client whose wife is GF. Sending this to him now!
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scd88
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In reply to 713nervy • 6:29a, 5/19/26
AG
713nervy said:
This is so cool! Wild that another solution for this didn't already exist, especially since it is becoming a fairly common problem for people. What a great thing to do for your mom-in-law. Thank you for sharing.


This.
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RikkiTikkaTagem
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9:18a, 5/19/26
AG
So just by scanning things in my pantry, if they're not logged already, you'll get a notification and will make a site for it?

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will25u
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In reply to RikkiTikkaTagem • 9:38a, 5/19/26
RikkiTikkaTagem said:
So just by scanning things in my pantry, if they're not logged already, you'll get a notification and will make a site for it?



Yes. Anything scanned that is not already in the database is logged and I can add them all. I did quite a few at home when I first implemented it.

At work, and away from my desk currently. If you have scanned some things, when I get back to my office I will run them through the system to get added.
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will25u
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In reply to RikkiTikkaTagem • 10:29a, 5/19/26
RikkiTikkaTagem said:
So just by scanning things in my pantry, if they're not logged already, you'll get a notification and will make a site for it?


If you scanned some items(someone did), 8/10 are added now. Whoever scanned the items, 2 were missing enough data from the databases I check to flag as low data quality and were discarded.
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RikkiTikkaTagem
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In reply to will25u • 10:58a, 5/19/26
AG
will25u said:
RikkiTikkaTagem said:
So just by scanning things in my pantry, if they're not logged already, you'll get a notification and will make a site for it?


If you scanned some items(someone did), 8/10 are added now. Whoever scanned the items, 2 were missing enough data from the databases I check to flag as low data quality and were discarded.


Yes that was me. Ok. I'll go hit up our pantry and do as much as I can. We have lots. This is awesome. Thank you!
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cr0wbar
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11:14a, 5/19/26
AG
Went on a date last year with a girl that had Celiac - she self proclaimed herself the "Mold Queen" (I should've ghosted then, but I was in a dry spell...)

LSS: She had mold develop in her apartment - years later this caused Celiac. She's a nurse and was on a crusade to let people know about how serious mold spores are and in her pursuit of purchasing a new home that was mold free.

We went to my favorite TexMex place - she proceeded to get a bland chicken breast to avoid any soy sauce marinated meats. I got a solo fajita and some shrimp. She then reached over and took a bite out of my shrimp (lol?) that's when our waiter came by and told me that the shrimp were also marinated with soy sauce.

She proceeded to scratch at her throat very incessantly. I asked if she had anything in her purse (no). Do you have / need an epi-pen from your car? (no).

We quickly paid and I never called her back.
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will25u
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In reply to cr0wbar • 11:19a, 5/19/26
Uhh Celiac doesn't work that way...

IF she actually had Celiac she would be using the toilet, and having stomach pains probably.

And I don't think it is possible that mold can give you celiac since it is an autoimmune disorder.
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will25u
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In reply to RikkiTikkaTagem • 11:25a, 5/19/26
RikkiTikkaTagem said:
will25u said:
RikkiTikkaTagem said:
So just by scanning things in my pantry, if they're not logged already, you'll get a notification and will make a site for it?


If you scanned some items(someone did), 8/10 are added now. Whoever scanned the items, 2 were missing enough data from the databases I check to flag as low data quality and were discarded.


Yes that was me. Ok. I'll go hit up our pantry and do as much as I can. We have lots. This is awesome. Thank you!

You don't HAVE to... But my data is still largely incomplete. I am adding ~125 products a day. I could add 1,000,000+ all at once, but search engines don't like that, and I am trying to make Google, Bing, etc like my website.

If you do decide to do it, I would appreciate it!
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will25u
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2:52p, 5/28/26
A little update. When you scan a product now, and it is not in the database, it will be processed within ~1 hour. If there is enough data to make a product page from the USDA/OFF databases, it will show up.
"We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."

- Abraham Lincoln
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I Play With Guns
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5:47p, 5/28/26
S
This is going to low key change my life!! One of my close friends is also Celiac so I will 100% pass this along.

What a special thing you've done! I know it might not seem like much to you but this is a really wonderful thing that will go a long way to the celiac and gluten intolerant and gluten free folks.

God speed internet stranger and may you squeeze on perfect titties as a treat! Or ballsacks. Whatever your preference!
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will25u
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In reply to I Play With Guns • 6:00p, 5/28/26
If anything, it is a good starting point to start to decode ingredient labels, which for new Celiac disease people seems to be hard.

Also I tried to immediately give the answer at the top of the page so you don't have to search through walls of text or scroll way down the page to find the answer. It is immediate answer.
"We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."

- Abraham Lincoln
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swc93
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7:30p, 5/28/26
AG
I have been Celiac for over 10 years. It is much easier now than it use to be. Super easy in Europe and Mexico; US is coming around with food labeling but still behind the curve. I will give this a shot for sure since so many of the label print is getting smaller and seems like mystery ingredients are growing.

Modified food starch and natural flavors are both ridiculous examples of generic ingredients that drive me nuts.
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will25u
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In reply to swc93 • 7:40p, 5/28/26
Here is all the possible hidden gluten that Gluten Sense highlights. BTW, the two you mentioned are definitely on the list.

### Strict Gluten (Red Highlights)

These are direct, definitive sources of gluten. If any of these are found, we highlight them in
red:

Base Grains: wheat, barley, rye, triticale, durum, emmer, einkorn, farro, spelt, kamut,
khorasan, bulgur, couscous, seitan, semolina, farina, graham.
Malt Ingredients: malt, barley malt, malt extract, malt flavoring, malt syrup, malted barley,
malted barley flour, malt vinegar, brewer's yeast, malted milk.
Scientific Names/Derivatives: hordeum vulgare, triticum vulgare, secale cereale, secalin, vital
wheat gluten, wheat gluten.
Wheat Components: hydrolyzed wheat protein, wheat protein, wheat germ, wheat berries, wheat
bran, wheat flour, enriched flour, bread flour, all-purpose flour, pastry flour, cake flour.
Other Foods/Terms: orzo, matzoh, matzo, atta, maida, udon, sooji, rava, cracker meal, mugi miso.

### Possible Gluten Risk (Orange Highlights)

These ingredients don't strictly mean gluten is present, but they are common hiding spots for
cross-contamination or hidden gluten. We highlight them in orange (unless the product has a GF
claim):

Starches & Texturizers: wheat starch, modified wheat starch, modified food starch, dextrin,
pregelatinized starch, vegetable gum.
Proteins & Extracts: hydrolyzed vegetable/plant protein, textured vegetable protein, yeast
extract, autolyzed yeast.
Flavors & Seasonings: natural flavor, artificial flavor, smoke flavoring, seasoning, spice.
Sauces & Condiments: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, teriyaki
sauce, ponzu, awase miso.
Oats: oat, oat flour, oat bran, oatmeal.
Miscellaneous Foods/Terms: dinkle, panko, fu, tabouli, tempura, brown rice syrup, roux,
licorice, edible coating, bouillon cube, self-rising flour, surimi, imitation crab, caramel color.

Note: Exclusions like "buckwheat", "glutinous rice", and "cream of tartar" are explicitly safely
skipped so they aren't falsely flagged!

You can see that once you turn on all of the different things we filter for, it becomes kind of a colorful ingredient list on some overly processed products.



ETA: We only turn on GLUTEN and Possible Gluten Risk by default.
"We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."

- Abraham Lincoln
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Jetty
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In reply to will25u • 8:57a, 5/30/26
AG
I'm lactose intolerant and so is our son. This is a Really cool thing you made I'm sure it will help lots of folks! Great work! I've become an expert label reader and pretty good at subbing things in recipes.
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AgSportsFan89
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1:45p, 6/2/26
AG
Have multiple in my family with Celiac. Thank you for this!
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Aston04
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9:59p, 6/2/26
AG
OP, what a great website. Mother in-law and sister are gluten free. I will share with them. Thank you!!

Thoughts on tackling chain restaurant menu items?
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will25u
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In reply to Aston04 • 11:19p, 6/2/26
Aston04 said:
OP, what a great website. Mother in-law and sister are gluten free. I will share with them. Thank you!!

Thoughts on tackling chain restaurant menu items?

That is a lot harder. I originally made a site specific to Savannah, GA for gluten free dishes at restaurants. But pretty quickly dropped that as it is pretty hard to get gluten-free specifics unless you contact each restaurant.

Maybe sometime in the future, but it would be only specific cities.
"We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."

- Abraham Lincoln
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LarryLayman
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In reply to will25u • 1:58a, 6/3/26
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