Log packaged food by barcode

How it works

1. Open the barcode scanner in Luca and point it at the barcode.
2. Luca looks the product up and shows its name and nutrition.
3. Set how much you had, and log it.

Barcode scanning is unlimited on the free plan.

Where the data comes from

Packaged food data comes from an open, volunteer-built database of food products. That openness is why Luca can offer barcode scanning without a limit. It also means the data has the usual limits of a volunteer project:

• Some products are missing, especially local or new ones.
• Some entries are out of date, because recipes change.
• Some entries have mistakes.

When the screen and the pack disagree, the pack is right. Edit the entry and carry on.

When the barcode is not found

Luca offers two ways forward: photograph the nutrition label and Luca reads the numbers from it, or type them in yourself. Reading a label does not use your daily AI scan.

Serving size is the part to watch

A label gives nutrition per 100 g, per serving, or both, and a “serving” is often smaller than what people eat. If the pack says a serving is 30 g of cereal and you poured 60 g, log two servings. Weighing a food once or twice tells you what your usual bowl really is. Barcode data and why labels beat estimates goes into this.

Mixing barcode and photo

Real meals are mixed: a bought sauce on home-cooked pasta, a yogurt with fresh fruit. Use the barcode for the packaged part and a photo, your voice or a typed line for the rest. Then save the result as a favorite so tomorrow it is one tap.