# Tallow: Healthy Food Scanner — Seed Oil & Ingredient Checker > Food scanner grading ingredients, additives, contaminants, and processing levels. (iPhone/iPad app by Maddox Schmidlkofer.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tallow-healthy-food-scanner/id6769135569 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Maddox Schmidlkofer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858300107) - Category: Health & Fitness, Food & Drink - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.77/5 from 520 App Store ratings · 18 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 16.4 · 81 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-05-17 - Data updated: 2026-11-05 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tallow-healthy-food-scanner/id6769135569/reviews.md ## What is Tallow? Scan a barcode and see the seed oils, additives and dyes in your food, checked against the standards you set. Tallow also scores skin care, shampoo, sunscreen and other personal care products. Point your camera at any packaged food, drink, supplement or personal care product. Barcode won't scan? Snap the front of the pack and Tallow finds the product by name; if it isn't sure, Photo Analysis builds a page from your photo. Either way, you see what is in it, in plain English. WHAT YOU GET FOR FREE • Unlimited barcode scanning, plus photo search and Photo Analysis when a barcode won't scan • Your standards verdict: a thumbs up or down against your standards, with the check that failed • The full ingredient list, each ingredient rated Good, Caution or Avoid and explained • Lab results on 1,700+ tested products • Nutrition facts, where available • The restaurant map and the local farms map YOUR STANDARDS Pick from 30 standards, including: • Seed oils, artificial ingredients, ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4), possibly GMO, insects and lab-grown meat • Allergens: gluten (wheat, barley, rye and regular oats), dairy, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, sesame, fish and shellfish • Vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher and a pregnancy check • High sugar, carbs, sodium or saturated fat, and the riskiest packaging One failed check means a thumbs down. Checks Tallow has no data for show a "?". Allergen and gluten checks read the ingredient list only and cannot detect cross-contact, so Tallow never calls a product allergen-free or gluten-free. Halal and kosher need a certification. SEED OILS, BY NAME Canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, rice bran and peanut oil are flagged by name, including when a label hides them as "vegetable oil" or shortening. LAB-TESTED CONTAMINANTS More than 1,700 products have independent lab results for heavy metals, PFAS and other contaminants that never appear on an ingredient list: what was found, what was not detected, and the limit each is measured against. KID-SAFE MODE With Premium, Kid-Safe Mode takes 5 points off the Tallow score of any product never independently lab tested. RESTAURANT MAP A map of restaurants across the U.S., rated on seed oil use, additives and plastic contact by Tallow and by the community, with a seed-oil-free filter. Rate the places you know. LOCAL FARMS MAP Find more than 40,000 farms, farmers markets, CSAs, farm stands and food hubs near you. Filter by raw milk, eggs, meat, dairy, honey and baked goods. MISSING A PRODUCT? Photograph the front of the pack and the ingredient label. We research it and add it to the catalog. TALLOW PREMIUM Premium unlocks: • The 0 to 100 Tallow score and its line-by-line Score breakdown • Healthier Swaps: better-scoring products from the same shelf • Product search and category browsing, plus Search with AI for products a typed search misses • Scores across your history and saved products • Offline scanning Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Manage or cancel in Settings > your name > Subscriptions. Restore Purchases is on the paywall screen. AI DISCLOSURE Tallow sends data to third-party AI services: your photos (photo search, Photo Analysis, Detox, product contributions, review photos), to read the pack or check the photo; text you type (Search with AI, reviews, cancellation answers); and ingredient names, rated from our published scoring rubric. Photo Analysis lists ingredients from the label, or else from what the AI knows about the product. Terms (Apple EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Tallow Terms: https://tallow.app/terms Privacy: https://tallow.app/privacy For educational and informational purposes only. Not medical, dietary or nutritional advice. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before changing your diet. ## Key features - Barcode scanning for food analysis - Transparent scoring system (0-100) - Detailed breakdown of score deductions - Identification of ultra-processed foods (NOVA 4) - Detection of contaminants and harmful ingredients - Smart swaps for healthier alternatives (Premium) - Kid-Safe Mode for enhanced safety checks (Premium) ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Tallow Premium (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year | | Tallow Premium (Monthly $5) | $4.99 | per month | | Tallow Premium (7-Day Trial) | $29.99 | per year | | Tallow Premium (7-Day Trial) | $39.99 | per year | | Tallow Premium (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year | | Tallow Premium (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month | | Tallow Premium (3-Day Trial) | $29.99 | per year | | Tallow Premium (Special Offer) | $19.99 | per year | | Tallow Premium (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year | | Tallow Pro — Yearly | $19.99 | per year | ## Is Tallow safe? Tallow: Healthy Food Scanner appears safe based on user ratings. The AppsHunter Safety Score for Tallow is 94 out of 100. This assessment is based on 520 user ratings, with an App Store average of 4.8 out of 5. Of 520 App Store ratings, 94.8% point to a safe experience, 2.3% suggest some concerns, and 2.9% point to a risky experience. ## Is Tallow legit? Tallow: Healthy Food Scanner appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Tallow is 63 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (10 of 18) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tallow-healthy-food-scanner/id6769135569/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Thank u for sharing this with me youtube *2026-10-24, version 2.4.2* Thank you so much for such a great. App and thank you for sharing this with me ### 5/5 — Healthy Living *2026-10-16, version 2.4* I love this app! It scans barcodes quickly, gives you an easy-to-understand score, and lets you learn more by exploring the ingredients. In a short amount of time, I’ve discovered that some foods I thought were healthy actually contain ultra-processed ingredients. After reading the linked articles and learning more about these ingredients, I’m convinced I want to be much more mindful of what I put into my body. This app has been eye-opening and is helping me make more informed choices about the foods I eat! ### 5/5 — Food Education *2026-10-12, version 2.4* Great app for learning about the food we eat. ### 1/5 — No way to access free barcode scans *2026-10-04, version 2.3.1* I saw this app on some webpage that I had come across, and it sounded like a good app to try. Especially since it said there was a free at a premium version. After downloading it, though I could not find anyway to access the free barcode scanner. It only funneled me into trying to force a premium subscription plan. For that reason it gets one star… It doesn’t matter how good it is when they lie to you in the very beginning, in my book. Even using ChatGPT to try to figure out how to access the free barcode scanning I could find no way to do so. Two thumbs down. **Developer response:** Hi! Please email support@tallow.app so we can help you out! The gist it when it asks you to pay for premium, you just click no thanks. or if you hold the app like you're gonna delete it there's a button that says get Tallow for free and that should work as well. Let me know if this works, and apologies on that. ### 5/5 — Product offered *2026-09-21, version 2.2.2* Need suggested products to be enlarged so I can read them Print too small ### 5/5 — Love this app! *2026-09-11, version 2.2.1* For starters, I love this app so much I love how it gives you a short and quick review of what you can and cannot eat before you start. This app helps with any allergies or stuff you’re trying to avoid this app is genuinely safe and would be a good recommendation for anyone that you know. I love how I could also scan oil and sunflower seeds. Definitely perfect if you have allergies. ### 1/5 — Uses bot accounts to advertise and fearmonger *2026-09-08, version 2.1* This app pays bot Reddit accounts to make posts in health subreddits trying to scare people. The posts conveniently link the Tallow app! And they even try to “cite” their source by linking to the Tallow website. This app sucks. Source: me. ### 5/5 — Eating Clean *2026-09-03, version 1.9* It’s a fantastic app that helps me pick clean foods and eat healthy ### 5/5 — Better than others *2026-09-01, version 1.9* I have tried scout olive etc, this one is free and does what they do… ### 1/5 — Not trust worthy *2026-08-11, version 1.6* Says free on the web site, but plays all kinds of games to trick you into signing up during onboarding. Scanned first food and it labeled avocado oil as bad for you. **Developer response:** Hi! We simply ask you if you want to try the paid version, and in the top right it says "try the free version!", maybe you misunderstood? the app can be used completely for free. Avocado oil was just tested in a UC Davis study to find almost all tests found items labeled "avocado oil" cut with other oils, and we added that the ingredient information tab (part of what we do in the app is keep up to date with current research). id love to help you out and learn more, email us here -> support@tallow.app so we can get feedback on how to make onboarding more clear. ## Frequently asked questions about Tallow ### What is Tallow? Tallow is a food scanner that analyzes the ingredients and potential contaminants in packaged foods. It provides a transparent score from 0-100 based on factors like seed oils, additives, and ultra-processing. ### How does Tallow score food? Every product starts at 100 points and loses points for harmful ingredients, ultra-processing (NOVA 4), contaminants above regulatory limits, and microplastics/PFAS. The 'Why this score' sheet details each deduction. ### Does Tallow have ads? No, Tallow does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use for basic scanning, with premium features available via subscription. ### What premium features does Tallow offer? Premium features include unlimited scans, full lab data and citations, Kid-Safe Mode, Smart Swaps for healthier alternatives, scan history, and a Seed Oil-Free Restaurant Map. ### How much does Tallow Premium cost? Tallow Premium is available as a yearly subscription for $19.99, which includes a 3-day free trial. ### What devices does Tallow support? Tallow is available on iPhone and iPod devices, as indicated by its supported devices list. ### How often is Tallow updated? The app was last updated on June 14, 2026, with version 1.4 being the latest release. ### What is the age rating for Tallow? Tallow has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users including younger individuals and families. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.4.3 — 2026-11-02 • Photo Analysis: when Tallow can't tell which product a photo shows, AI builds a product page from your photo, with each ingredient rated and checked against your standards. • Search with AI, for Premium: finds products a typed search misses. • 30 standards to choose from, including allergens, vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher and a pregnancy check. Pick yours in Settings > Food standards. • New users get a quick tour of their first scan. • Camera and scanning fixes, plus many small fixes. ### 2.4.2 — 2026-10-23 • A redesigned product page: the score, ingredients and contaminants are clearer at a glance. • Clearer lab results: each contaminant shows its worst result and where it was measured. • Product photos and "View on Amazon" with the current price for many more products. • Optional streak reminders so you keep your scanning streak. • Better support for large text sizes across the app. • More accurate product data and many small fixes. ### 2.4.1 — 2026-10-17 • Detox for Premium: photograph your pans, utensils, food storage, water bottle, deodorant, makeup and more, and Tallow tells you what to swap, what to watch, and what's fine. • Label claims like grass-fed, pasture-raised and wild-caught now show on product pages, with what each one means and how it affects the score. • More reliable, more accurate product research and cleaner product names. • Smoother sheets and many small fixes. ### 2.4 — 2026-10-12 • Dark mode: pick Normal, Dark, or match your device in Settings → Appearance. • Offline mode for Premium: download the product database and keep scanning with no signal. • Similar lab tests: products without their own lab test now show results from a closely matching tested product, plus a new Similar lab tested search filter. • Add Apple or Google sign-in to your account in Settings → Sign-in methods. • Smarter healthier swaps and more accurate processing ratings. ### 2.3.1 — 2026-10-03 • New Photo mode on the Scan tab: snap the front of a package to find the product, no barcode needed. • Find local farms: switch the map to Farms. • Redesigned ingredient pages show what each ingredient does and what its risks are. • Have a promo or creator code? Enter it during setup or in Settings. • See the status of the reports you've sent. • Better search, and View on Amazon now opens the exact product. ## Apps similar to Tallow | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Nutron: Food Scanner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nutron-food-scanner/id6758163460) | 4.6 (1,074) | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Reveal it - Product Scanner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reveal-it-product-scanner/id6745407344) | 4.4 (583) | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Purely - Find Whats Healthy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purely-find-whats-healthy/id6758014006) | 4.1 (144) | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Healthysm: AI Product Scanner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/healthysm-ai-product-scanner/id6747916443) | 3.7 (28) | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Ingredient AI - Scan Anything](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ingredient-ai-scan-anything/id6742460409) | 4.6 (170) | Free | Health & Fitness | | [Cornstarch - AI Health Scanner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cornstarch-ai-health-scanner/id6743107572) | 4.6 (64) | Free | Health & Fitness | ## More apps by Maddox Schmidlkofer - [SkySniffer - Contrail Analyser](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysniffer-contrail-analyser/id6756071974) All apps by Maddox Schmidlkofer: https://appshunter.io/developer/1858300107 ## Related topics [tallowe](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/tallowe) · [maddox schmidlkofer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/maddox-schmidlkofer) · [artificial sweetener](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/artificial-sweetener) · [eats healthy](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/eats-healthy) · [unprocessed](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/unprocessed) · [scan barcode app free food](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/scan-barcode-app-free-food) · [no seed oils](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/no-seed-oils) · [chemeleon food additive guide](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/chemeleon-food-additive-guide) · [food ingredient scanner litmus](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/food-ingredient-scanner-litmus) · [free food healthy](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-food-healthy) · [processed food scanner](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/processed-food-scanner) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-11-05.*