Privacy Policy

PureBite for iOS · Effective July 22, 2026

What the app does

PureBite scans food barcodes (or accepts a typed barcode or food-name search), looks the product up in public food databases, and scores how natural it is. An optional AI summary of the result is generated on your device.

Information we collect

None. PureBite has no user accounts, no sign-in, and no analytics or advertising SDKs. We do not collect, store, sell, or share any personal information.

Camera

The camera is used only to read product barcodes, and only while you're on the scanning screen. Camera images are processed entirely on your device, are never saved, and are never uploaded anywhere.

Food database lookups

To identify a product, the app sends only the barcode number or the food name you searched to two public, non-commercial food databases:

• Open Food Facts (a community project)
• USDA FoodData Central (a U.S. government service)

To make lookups faster, the app also checks a shared product cache we operate — a database containing only food product information (barcodes, ingredients, nutrition), never anything about you or your device. Products you look up may be added to this cache so lookups are faster for everyone.

These requests contain no personal information, no identifiers, and no location data. Like any internet request, the services may see your IP address as a technical necessity; their own privacy policies apply to their handling of requests.

Feature requests

If you choose to submit a feature request, the text you write is sent to our database so it can be reviewed and shown on the in-app request board. Please don't include personal information in what you write. Requests are linked only to a random identifier generated on your device — never to your name, email, or Apple ID — and that identifier exists solely to prevent duplicate votes and spam. Requests are reviewed before they appear publicly, and anyone can report a post for removal.

Artificial intelligence disclosure

PureBite uses artificial intelligence. The "AI Analysis" shown on each result — the summary sentence, the "What's good" and "Watch out for" points, and the suggested alternatives — is generated automatically by an AI language model (Apple Intelligence). It is not written, checked, or approved by a person, a nutritionist, or any medical professional before you see it.

What that means for you:

• It can be wrong. AI language models can produce information that is inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or entirely made up, even when it is worded confidently. Treat every AI statement as a starting point, not a fact.
• No human reviews it. Each analysis is generated fresh on your device at the moment you view it. Two people scanning the same product may see differently worded results.
• Never rely on it for allergies or medical decisions. Do not use the AI analysis to determine whether a food is safe for an allergy, intolerance, medical condition, pregnancy, or any specific diet. Always read the product's physical label and consult a qualified professional.
• It runs on your device. The analysis is produced entirely on your iPhone. Your food data is never sent to us, to Apple's servers, or to any third-party AI service for this feature, and nothing you do in the app is used to train any AI model.
• It requires supported hardware. AI analysis needs a device with Apple Intelligence enabled. On other devices the app works normally but shows no AI analysis.

How the naturalness score works, and what it is not

The 0–100 naturalness score and its A–F grade are produced by our own formula. The score is calculated, not AI-generated: each product starts at 100 and loses points based on published data about the product — its degree of processing (the NOVA classification), the additives listed in its ingredients, artificial ingredients, the length of its ingredient list, and its sugar, salt, and saturated fat levels.

To be clear about what this score is not:

• It is not an official rating and is not issued, endorsed, reviewed, or approved by the FDA, the USDA, Open Food Facts, or any government agency, regulator, or health body.
• It is not a measure of safety. A low score does not mean a food is unsafe or harmful, and a high score does not mean a food is safe, healthy, or suitable for you.
• It is not personalized. It knows nothing about your health, your allergies, your medications, or your dietary needs.
• It is only as good as the underlying data, which comes from third-party databases that may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong for your region. Products can be reformulated without the databases being updated. The app shows a confidence indicator when data is thin.

PureBite makes no claim that using the app will improve your health or produce any particular health outcome.

Reporting a wrong result

If you see an AI analysis or a score that looks wrong, please tell us at mattarebruce@gmail.com so we can look into it. Reports about a specific product help us improve the scoring rules for everyone.

Scan history

Your recent scans are stored only on your device. Deleting the app deletes them. We have no copy and no way to access them.

Purchases

Subscriptions are processed by Apple through the App Store. We never see or store your payment details. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your Apple ID settings. Apple's handling of purchase data is described in Apple's Privacy Policy.

Children

PureBite is not directed at children and collects no data from anyone, including children.

Health disclaimer

PureBite's scores and AI summaries are general food-quality information, not medical or nutritional advice. Always confirm ingredient and allergen information on the product's physical label.

Changes to this policy

If this policy ever changes, the updated version will be posted at this address with a new effective date. Because the app collects nothing, changes are unlikely.

Contact

Questions? Email mattarebruce@gmail.com.