Katherine Ryan-backed AI tool explains food ingredients no one understands
Comedian Katherine Ryan has backed an AI tool that provides simple, on-the-go ingredient definitions for everyday food staples.
A new report suggested that one in five UK shoppers has decided not to buy a product because they didn’t understand items on the ingredients list.
And while some of us will be well aware of what xanthan gum and cellulose are, others will be scratching their heads over sucralose, soy lecithin, calcium propionate, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate.
In an attempt to better educate the masses, Ryan, 43, and nutritionist Rob Hobson, 47, have teamed with Gousto to launch ‘What the Food’—an AI-powered digital tool designed to decode some of Britain’s ‘most confusing’ industrial ingredients.
Advert
‘What the Food (WTF)’ will decipher over 100 food components, providing a simple, accurate definition of exactly what the preservatives, additives, and E numbers are made of and their purpose for being included in the edible product.
Shoppers will therefore be better informed and be able to make healthier choices when picking up cupboard essentials, pre-packaged sandwiches, and sweet bakery treats, as reported by Wales Online.
The easy-to-use tool features an AI-powered scanner extension; customers need to scan the back of a wrap or crisp packet mid-shop to get instant explanations of the ingredients listed.
Speaking about the tool, Ryan said: “When it comes to food labels, we’re always coming across ingredients and thinking ‘what on earth is that?’ Like Acetic Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids - how is someone without a PhD in food chemistry supposed to understand what that means?
“That’s why there is such a need for Gousto’s What The Food (WTF) tool.”
Meanwhile, Hobson said: “With so many unfamiliar ingredient names appearing on everyday food labels, it’s understandable that people can find it difficult to know exactly what they’re looking at.
“This campaign isn't about saying ingredients are good or bad, but helping people understand what it is they are actually eating. The more we understand what’s in our food, the more informed our choices can be.”
Timo Boldt, Founder and CEO of Gousto, said: “Steviol Glycosides. Rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? The truth is, food labels have become ridiculously hard to understand.
“You shouldn’t need a chemistry degree to work out what you’re putting in your body. So we built What The Food to translate the jargon into normal human language - quickly, honestly and with a bit of humour.”
He continued, claiming convenience ‘shouldn’t come at the expense of health or transparency’.
“Understanding what’s in your food should be easy. Now, hopefully, it is,” Boldt added.
Anyone who wants to get involved with WTF can head to the Gousto-powered website, What-The-Food.co.uk.
You can use the site to scan ingredient labels, simply search up the name of an ingredient, or flick through the in-depth ingredient dictionary.
Ella Scott