What you would build
The screen is a short list of products they already have. Each row has the name, a bit of the food record, and the recall titles from that day so they can compare names. They add a product by typing it or by scanning a barcode. There is no score, and nothing on the row says the packet is safe.
Who it is for
A household checking a packaged food they already have. They want the name, the food record, and today’s recall titles side by side.
Which APIs
Three APIs, all in Food & Drink. The source list does not list a price for any of them.
Open Food Facts is a “Food Products Database.” No key. This is the lookup when someone types a name. If there is no row, keep the typed name and mark it “no record.” Do not fill the gap with a stock photo.
Noms is “Nutrition data for 3.7M foods and 298K brands across 230 countries, with barcodes and images.” It needs an API key. Use it for barcodes, because the description includes barcodes, and save an image only when Noms returns one. Cap scans at a household pace.
Daily Food Recalls is “U.S. FDA and USDA food recalls, merged and normalized, updated daily.” No key. Offer it only for a US kitchen, behind a switch that stays off outside the US. Show that day’s titles next to the product. Do not mark the packet safe.
How to build the first version
- Start with an empty list the household can name.
- When they type a product name, query Open Food Facts and save the name plus a short piece of the record.
- When they scan a barcode, query Noms with the API key.
- If the US switch is on, fetch Daily Food Recalls and list the titles beside the product. No score.
- Keep the list on the device. No account in this version.
How it could make money
Charge once for the app. What they are paying for is the list on the phone. A subscription is a poor fit for a cupboard list that mostly sits there.
What to leave out
A full nutrition coach, a safety score, and a stamp that says the packet is safe. Show the food record and the recall titles, and let them compare the names.