Add better support for specific diets

[teolemon]

Existing

• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Vegan
• Vegetarian
• Gluten free

What

• Wiki page: https://wiki.openfoodfacts.org/Diets

Why

• Having those high level abstractions (diets) would increase value for direct @openfoodfacts users, as well as API reusers, who would be incentivized to ask their users for ingredients photos, and send them to OFF

Tasks

Preview Give feedback

1. Add better support for specific diets
2. Add better support for cholesterol (12M people in France on 60M inhabitants, more than diabetes) (Sat fat, fat, …)
3. Add better support for glycemic index (helpful for people with diabetes) Support the Glycemic Index #585 Compute and display glycemic index #8506 Allow glycemic index to be entered as a nutrient #589
4. Add better support for ketogenic diet taxonomy: add taxonomy labels for keto foods #9090
5. Add better support for Vitamin K (important for elderly people with heart valves, it seems)
6. Add better support for phenylalanin (genetic disorder)
7. Add better support for lysine (genetic disorder) Add estimates of rare nutrients for people with rare/liver illnesses #8520
8. Add better support for Alpha gal
9. Add better support for emulsifiers free diet
10. Add better support for eosinophilic esophagitis
11. Add better support for Fructose free
12. Add better support for Interstitial cystitis
13. Add better support for Lactose free
14. Add better support for Low fodmap
15. Add better support for Low histamine
16. Add better support for Low iodine
17. Add better support for No beef
18. Add better support for No pork
19. Add better support for No poultry
20. Add better support for Paleo
21. Add better support for Pescatarian
22. Add better support for Pregnancy
23. Add better support for young children (It's more guidelines for food diversification than anything else, We could put warnings on how to prepare specific food (with and without teeth, too warm…), https://www.mangerbouger.fr/content/show/1500/file/Brochure-SPF-Mangerbougerfr.pdf)
24. Add better support for elderly people (Vitamin K, others ?)
25. Add better support for Others diets
26. Add kosher/non kosher detection #1105
    0 of 6
    labels special-diets 🎯 P1 🥗🔍 Ingredients analysis +4
27. Add Halal/Non-Halal detection #1053
    0 of 7
    halal labels special-diets 🎯 P1 🥗🔍 Ingredients analysis +5
28. Add lactose support in ingredient analysis #4264
    0 of 4
    ⭐ top issue lactose special-diets ⏰ Stale 🎯 P1 🥗🔍 Ingredients analysis 🥜 Allergens +7
29. Add support for phenylaniline #9155
    🥜 Allergens +1

Assets

• This unused taxonomy by @aleene : https://github.com/openfoodfacts/openfoodfacts-server/blob/main/taxonomies/unused/compliant.txt

See also

• Add more ingredient analysis (tracker) #5706

Part of

• 🎯 What can I work on ? #5529

[teolemon]

[github-throwaway]

The current setup (see image) works for common allergens but feels rigid and limiting. Plus what do the different settings even mean? What is the difference between important and mandatory? Or very important and just important?

A better approach may be a dynamic filtering system where users can input exactly what they want to avoid, are sensitive to, or allergic to—whether it’s specific compounds like casein, additives, or triggers like histamines.

This system could include predefined filters for common allergens (gluten, dairy, nuts, etc.) and diets (vegan, keto, etc.) for simplicity, while also allowing users to create personalized filters. For example, a user could exclude components like gluten, alpha-amylase, certain emulsifiers, or maltos.

Such an approach would:

• Support personalised needs beyond predefined diets or allergens.
• Address complex dietary protocols (e.g., low-FODMAP, low-histamine).
• Be future-proof as new sensitivities and dietary requirements emerge.

Especially with sensitivity testing (eg. IgG4 [independent if they are actually useful for diagnosing food sensitivities]) becoming more and more common, I think this would be a valuable change to OpenFoodFacts.

The dietary needs and the motivation to use Open Food Facts are individual. Let's tailor the experience to reflect that individuality.

Thoughts? @teolemon

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Here is an excerpt of what components would be interesting to have as filters.

Getreide glutenhaltig (Gluten-Containing Grains)

• Dinkel (Spelt)
• Hafer (Oats)
• Roggen (Rye)
• Weizen (Wheat)
• Gluten (Gluten)

Getreide glutenfrei (Gluten-Free Grains)

• Amaranth (Amaranth)
• Quinoa (Quinoa)
• Hirse (Millet)
• Mais (Corn)
• Buchweizen (Buckwheat)
• Reis (Rice)

Milchprodukte (Dairy Products)

• Kasein (Casein)
• Milchpool (Dairy Pool: Lactoglobulin, Lactalbumin, Goat Milk, Sheep Milk, Mare Milk)

Gemüse, Salate (Vegetables, Salads)

• Spinat (Spinach)
• Kartoffel (Potato)
• Paprikaschote (Bell Pepper)
• Tomate (Tomato)
• Karotte (Carrot)
• Sellerie (Celery)
• Avocado (Avocado)
• Gemüse-Pool (Vegetable Pool: Cabbage, Onion, Mushroom, Fennel)

Hülsenfrüchte (Legumes)

• Sojabohne (Soybean)
• Grüne Bohne (Green Bean)
• Erdnuss (Peanut)
• Hülsenfrüchte-Pool (Legume Pool: Peas, Lentils, Carob)

Fleisch, Fisch, Ei (Meat, Fish, Egg)

• Hühnerei (Chicken Egg)
• Rind (Beef)
• Fische-Pool (Fish Pool: Cod, Tuna, Salmon)
• Fleisch-Pool (Meat Pool: Pork, Duck, Chicken, Lamb)

Obst (Fruits)

• Kiwi (Kiwi)
• Weintraube (Grape)
• Banane (Banana)
• Apfel (Apple)
• Pfirsich (Peach)
• Orange (Orange)
• Ananas (Pineapple)
• Obst-Pool (Fruit Pool: Cherry, Strawberry, Melon)

Nüsse, Samen (Nuts, Seeds)

• Haselnuss (Hazelnut)
• Sonnenblumenkerne (Sunflower Seeds)
• Sesam (Sesame)
• Mandel (Almond)
• Nüsse+Samen-Pool (Nut and Seed Pool: Walnut, Brazil Nut, Flaxseed, Cashew)

Kräuter, Gewürze (Herbs, Spices)

• Senfkörner (Mustard Seeds)
• Knoblauch (Garlic)
• Schwarzer Pfeffer (Black Pepper)
• Petersilie (Parsley)
• Gewürze-Pool (Spice Pool: Caraway, Dill, Vanilla)

Hefen (Yeasts)

• Backhefe (Baker's Yeast)