The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) is developing an AI-powered search engine and web-based platform to help Indians make more informed food choices amid rising consumption of pre-packaged foods. Sources indicate that the platform will offer nutritional information on thousands of food products available in the market. Users will be able to search for a product or brand and access details on its nutritional profile with a single click. The tool aims to serve as a one-stop source of nutrition-related information for consumers, analyzing various components of packaged foods and flagging nutritional aspects to help people better understand what they consume.
Addressing the Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases
A scientist from NIN stated that the initiative comes against the backdrop of increasing consumption of packaged foods and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. All information provided through the platform will be based on product labels and regulatory requirements applicable in India.
Partnership with TruthIn App
To create a scientific database of packaged foods sold in India, NIN recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Hyderabad-based company that developed the mobile application TruthIn. The app has over 1.35 million downloads and 1 lakh active monthly users. It received the 'Promising Innovation Award' during last year's NIN INFUSE innovation summit for startups, researchers, and technology developers.
Dr. Aman Basheer Sheikh, co-founder of NatFirst which developed the app, explained that TruthIn examines nutritional content, ingredient safety, and processing levels to help consumers understand what they are eating. Ingredients listed using INS numbers or technical terms are explained in simple language through barcode scanning or product search. With a database of more than 75,000 food products, the app enables users to check and compare food items across different online shopping categories, making it easier to make informed choices. Users can quickly identify hidden additives and signs of ultra-processed foods before purchasing.
Database as a Resource for Stakeholders
The NIN scientist noted that such apps will help collect, analyze, and validate information from food labels, including ingredients, nutritional content, and product attributes. The database is expected to become a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and the food industry. It will facilitate analysis of nutritional trends across food categories, support studies on dietary patterns among Indians, and generate evidence for future nutrition policies and labelling regulations. Additionally, it will help profile traditional and packaged foods, track changes in nutritional quality over time, and generate category-wise nutrition reports.
Support for Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling
If front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) or any new food-labelling format is introduced, the database can support its implementation and help consumers better understand nutritional information. FOPNL is intended to provide simple nutrition information on packaged foods high in salt, sugar, or fat, and is currently under consideration with a case ongoing in the Supreme Court.
Future Plans and Industry Assistance
Once data is uploaded on the NIN AI bot, the platform could also assist food manufacturers in product reformulation by comparing nutritional profiles across categories and identifying opportunities for healthier formulations. The scientist added that NIN plans to work with other startups and organizations to add more features and make the platform more useful for consumers, researchers, and the food industry.
