Peanuts. Tree nuts. Shellfish.

I recite these three words to waitstaff taking my order every time I dine out. It's been a mantra of mine since I was a kid—although the list was longer then. I do this because ingesting any one of these foods can send me straight to the ER. Growing up, I was allergic to dozens of foods. Birthday parties were hard, and holidays harder. While at summer camp, I ate half a tree nut cookie from what I believed to be a nut-free cafeteria and experienced a near-fatal anaphylactic event.

When the food that sustains you can also kill you, eating can be less of an enjoyable experience and more of an anxiety-inducing struggle. This is particularly true when dining out. Despite the best of intentions, waitstaff are bound to make mistakes, and avoiding foods with certain allergens or ingredients can feel like a game of Russian roulette.

From my experiences living with food allergies, I identified the need for a fast and portable food allergen and ingredient sensor so individuals like me can feel safer when eating out. This sensor is for the little girl that was assured the cupcake was safe, but left it sitting on her plate. 

Because honey, you deserve to eat cake.

Sincerely,

Abigail Barnes, Co-Founder & CEO