What photo quality works best?

Flat, well-lit, in-focus shots of the ingredients panel. Avoid glare and keep text horizontal.

What if OCR misreads an ingredient?

Correct the text manually and use the Animal Ingredient Detector to re-analyze.

Does it work in languages other than English?

OCR may work for other Latin-script languages, but our ingredient database is primarily English.

Images are processed for extraction and not retained after analysis.

Interactive toolFood & Products

Label Scanner

Upload a photo of a product label and we'll extract the ingredient list using OCR, then analyze it for animal-derived ingredients. Works best with clear, well-lit photos of the ingredients panel.

Try it now — enter your details below

Looking for a long read instead? Browse our vegan guides.

How to use this tool

Upload a photo of a product label and we'll extract the ingredient list using OCR, then analyze it for animal-derived ingredients. Works best with clear, well-lit photos of the ingredients panel.

How it works

Photograph the ingredients panel — avoid glare and blur.
Upload the image using the scanner tool.
OCR extracts text from the label.
Extracted ingredients are analyzed for known animal-derived substances.

How to interpret the result

Review the extracted text — OCR can misread characters.
Flagged ingredients are highlighted with explanations.
Overall status depends on all ingredients found.
Low OCR quality reduces reliability — re-scan or type manually if needed.

Already have the text? Paste ingredients into the Animal Ingredient Detector

Important limitations

OCR accuracy depends on photo quality, font size, and language.
Curved or reflective packaging reduces extraction quality.
Small print and allergen panels may be missed.
Preliminary results are marked as unverified and should not replace reading the actual label.
Formulations change by country, brand, and over time — always check your specific product.
We do not have access to proprietary manufacturer data unless it is publicly available.

Examples

Sauce jar label

Flat label with clear print — high OCR success rate.

Cereal box side panel

Works if ingredients text is large enough and in focus.

Blurred photo

May produce incomplete extraction — retake or paste text manually.

Common mistakes

Photographing the front of the package instead of the ingredients list.
Using flash on glossy packaging causing glare.
Not verifying OCR output before trusting the result.
Scanning allergen info only, missing the full ingredient list.

What to check next

Verify extracted text against the physical label.
Look up any flagged ingredients individually.
Check for vegan certification marks.
Save a photo of the label for future reference.

Related ingredients & products

E471 Lecithin

FAQ

What photo quality works best?: Flat, well-lit, in-focus shots of the ingredients panel. Avoid glare and keep text horizontal.
What if OCR misreads an ingredient?: Correct the text manually and use the Animal Ingredient Detector to re-analyze.
Does it work in languages other than English?: OCR may work for other Latin-script languages, but our ingredient database is primarily English.
Is my photo stored?: Images are processed for extraction and not retained after analysis.

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