Simply scanning the QR code will give users allergy information. Credit: Provided
Allergies can make finding the right foods a hazardous task. But ZEGO, a maker of allergy-friendly snacks, has a new way to make sure your food is safe. You can simply ask your wrapper.
ZEGO has introduced a new batch of energy bars with packaging that features data designed to make the consumer feel safer. The wrappers and boxes feature a new QR code that, when scanned with a smartphone, displays test results from the bar’s batch that show any measurable amounts of allergens.
“The ZEGO QR code allows consumers to have better control over their food safety,” ZEGO co-founder Colleen Kavanagh said in a release. “For example, knowing a ‘gluten-free’ product’s testing showed less than 2.5 PPM gluten compared to the FDA’s allowed 20 PPM enables very sensitive people to make safer choices. This is even more important for those with peanut or dairy allergies, who may choose to eat foods with allergen disclaimers.”
The sunflower-seed-based bars are already formulated without the eight major food allergens (including nuts, soy, dairy and gluten). However, like many other energy bars, ZEGOs are made in a shared facility, making cross contact a possibility.
To combat this, ZEGO is using more than just the standard warning that many other manufacturers use. The new tech-powered packaging should make it even easier for customers to find out exactly what is in their food.
“Providing real-time data via a QR code not only informs and empowers purchasing choices, it also provides a mechanism for feedback, so consumers can tell manufacturers what matters most to them, and manufacturers can respond,” Jonathan Shambroom, co-founder of ZEGO said in a release. “While sample testing is not a safety guarantee, our rigorous testing, transparency and direct communication via our packaging will hopefully become the industry standard.”
ZEGO bars are available in their new packaging at select retailers and at Amazon.com.
