FeedMeSafe is a free tool that generates a personal, time-limited QR code containing your food allergens and dietary conditions. When you dine out, you show the QR to restaurant staff instead of explaining your allergies verbally every time. They scan it and instantly see what you need to avoid.
Who made this and why?
FeedMeSafe is a CognioSynthetic product — built as a simple step towards safer eating for people with food allergies, intolerances, and dietary conditions. It was created because explaining allergies in restaurants is repetitive, error-prone, and sometimes embarrassing. A scannable card makes it faster and more accurate.
How It Works
How do I use it?
Open FeedMeSafe in your phone browser.
Create a passphrase to encrypt your profile locally on your device.
Select your allergens and dietary conditions from the list.
Add an emergency contact number.
Choose how long the QR should be valid (1, 6, 24, or 48 hours).
Tap "Generate" — your QR code appears instantly.
Show the QR to restaurant staff when you order.
You can add FeedMeSafe to your home screen like a native app for quick access.
Does it work offline?
Once loaded, the creator page works offline — you can generate a QR code without internet. However, the restaurant staff need an internet connection to scan your QR, since it fetches your allergen data from our server. You cannot scan a QR while offline.
Do I need to install an app?
No. FeedMeSafe works directly in your phone browser. On most phones you can "Add to Home Screen" from the browser menu to get an app-like icon on your home screen, but no App Store or Play Store download is required.
What allergens and conditions can I add?
14 Major Allergens (EU 1169/2011, FDA, UK):
Milk (Dairy, Lactose, Casein, Whey)
Eggs (Albumin, Mayonnaise)
Peanuts (Groundnut, Arachis oil)
Tree Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews, Pistachios, Hazelnuts)
Expiry is a security feature. If you lose your phone or someone screenshots your QR, it only works for a limited time (1, 6, 24, or 48 hours — your choice). After it expires, the data is gone from our servers. This prevents stale or stolen QR codes from being used.
Can I regenerate a QR without re-entering everything?
Yes. If you visit FeedMeSafe on the same device and browser, you can enter your original passphrase to unlock your saved profile, then generate a fresh QR with a new expiry. Your data stays encrypted on your device — we never store your passphrase.
Privacy & Security
Is my data safe?
Your full profile is encrypted on your device before it leaves your phone. We store an encrypted blob on our server that we cannot read. The only unencrypted data we store is the minimal scan view shown to restaurant staff: allergen names, severity levels, and your emergency phone number. This data is automatically deleted when your QR expires.
Can someone clone my QR and use it?
A cloned QR would work until it expires — same as the original. This is why we use time-limited QR codes. Keep your expiry short (1–6 hours) for everyday use. If you suspect your QR has been compromised, just generate a new one — the old token is still the same but will expire on schedule.
What data do you store on your servers?
Temporarily: Your allergen names, icons, severity levels, and emergency phone number — for the duration you selected. Encrypted: Your full profile (including aliases and creation date) in a blob we cannot decrypt. Never: Your passphrase, your identity, your location, or any tracking cookies.
Can I delete my data?
Yes. Your data automatically deletes when the QR expires (1–48 hours). You can also clear the encrypted profile from your browser at any time via your browser settings. We do not maintain accounts or customer databases.
What Is This?
A customer just showed me a FeedMeSafe QR. What is it?
FeedMeSafe is a free service that lets diners with food allergies generate a QR code containing their allergens. When you scan it, you see a list of foods and ingredients they must avoid, along with severity levels and an emergency contact number. It is designed to help you serve them safely.
How do I scan it?
Use your phone camera or any standard QR scanner. The QR opens a web page showing the customer's allergen profile. No app installation is required. You need an internet connection for the scan to work.
What will I see when I scan it?
A clear list showing:
The customer's specific allergens (e.g. Peanuts, Milk, Shellfish)
Severity level for each (HIGH / MODERATE / LOW)
Dietary conditions (e.g. Celiac Disease, FODMAP)
Safety reminders (no cross-contamination, clean prep surface)
An emergency contact phone number
When the QR expires
Everything fits on one screen — no scrolling needed.
Use Cases
When should I ask a customer if they have a FeedMeSafe QR?
You don't need to — it is the customer's choice to present it. However, if a customer mentions allergies or dietary requirements, you can ask if they have a FeedMeSafe QR for faster and more accurate information.
Does this replace our restaurant allergen procedures?
No, absolutely not. FeedMeSafe is an informational aid only. It does not replace your restaurant's legal obligations under the Food Information Regulations (EU 1169/2011), Natasha's Law (UK), or any local food safety requirements. You must still follow your standard allergen management protocols.
What do the severity levels mean?
HIGH (red) — Life-threatening allergy. May cause anaphylaxis. Even trace amounts can trigger a reaction. Requires total avoidance and strict cross-contamination controls.
MODERATE (orange) — Serious intolerance or allergy. May cause significant symptoms. Avoidance required but trace exposure may not be immediately life-threatening.
LOW (yellow) — Sensitivity or intolerance. May cause discomfort. Avoidance recommended but small amounts may be tolerable.
These are self-reported by the customer and should be treated as guidance, not medical advice.
Validity & Troubleshooting
What if the QR shows "Expired"?
The QR code has passed its time limit. Ask the customer to generate a fresh QR — it takes about 30 seconds. An expired QR means the data is no longer available on our servers and cannot be retrieved.
What if the QR shows "Not Found"?
The token in the QR does not match any active profile. This could mean the QR was already expired and cleaned up, or the URL was modified. Ask the customer to generate a new one.
Can I trust the information on the scan?
The allergen list is self-reported by the customer. While we provide predefined options to ensure accuracy, FeedMeSafe does not verify or certify any medical information. Use this as a communication aid, not a medical document.
Should I keep a record of the customer's allergens?
No. The QR is temporary by design. Once it expires, the data is gone. You should not photograph, screenshot, or store the customer's allergen information unless required by your own data protection policies. The emergency contact should only be used in a genuine emergency.
Important Disclaimer
FeedMeSafe is an informational communication aid only. It is not a medical device, not medical advice, and not a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. The allergen and dietary information displayed is self-reported by the user and has not been verified by CognioSynthetic, FeedMeSafe, or any medical professional.
Restaurant staff and food service providers must continue to comply with all applicable food safety legislation, including but not limited to EU Regulation 1169/2011, the UK Food Information Regulations 2014, Natasha's Law, and the US Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA). FeedMeSafe does not absolve any food service establishment of its legal obligations regarding allergen management, cross-contamination prevention, or customer safety.
Disclaimers
Is FeedMeSafe a medical device?
No. FeedMeSafe does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. It is a communication tool that helps people with allergies convey their dietary restrictions to restaurant staff. It is not regulated as a medical device under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) or any equivalent legislation.
Is the information guaranteed to be accurate?
No. All allergen and dietary information is self-reported by the user. Users select from a predefined list to reduce errors, but CognioSynthetic does not verify, validate, or certify any user's medical information. Restaurant staff should treat the scan results as a communication aid — if in doubt, ask the customer directly.
Does FeedMeSafe guarantee my safety in a restaurant?
No. FeedMeSafe helps communicate your allergies but cannot guarantee safe food preparation. Restaurants are ultimately responsible for their kitchen practices. Cross-contamination can occur even with the best communication. Always carry your prescribed medication (e.g. EpiPen) and inform staff verbally about severe allergies as an additional precaution.
What about liability?
To the maximum extent permitted by law, CognioSynthetic accepts no liability for any injury, illness, or adverse reaction arising from the use of FeedMeSafe — whether caused by inaccurate user-submitted information, server unavailability, QR code failure, or any other reason. Use of FeedMeSafe is entirely at your own risk.
Data Protection & Privacy
How does FeedMeSafe comply with GDPR?
FeedMeSafe processes health data (allergies) which is classified as special category data under GDPR Article 9. We handle this as follows:
Consent: By generating a QR, the user explicitly consents to their allergen information being temporarily stored and displayed to anyone who scans the QR.
Data minimisation: We store only the minimum data needed for the scan to function.
Encryption: The user's full profile is encrypted on-device. We store only the encrypted blob — we hold no encryption keys and cannot read it.
Retention: All data is automatically deleted when the QR expires (maximum 48 hours). Expired data is purged within 7 days.
No tracking: We do not use analytics cookies, advertising trackers, or any third-party tracking on the FeedMeSafe service.
Right to erasure: Users can clear their local data at any time. Server-side data auto-deletes on expiry.
Who is the data controller?
CognioSynthetic is the data controller for the server-side processing of scan data. The user's device acts as an independent data controller for the locally-encrypted profile. CognioSynthetic does not share any user data with third parties.
What if I have a data rights request?
Since FeedMeSafe does not use accounts, email addresses, or any personally identifiable information beyond what the user voluntarily enters, traditional data rights requests (access, portability, objection) are limited. To request deletion of any data, clear your browser data and allow the QR to expire. For other inquiries, contact us through the CognioSynthetic portal.
Is the emergency phone number stored securely?
The emergency phone number is stored in plain text as part of the scan data, because restaurant staff need to read it in an emergency. This is a deliberate design choice — the number is only visible to people who physically scan the QR code. It is not indexed, searchable, or exposed to web crawlers.
Service
Is FeedMeSafe free?
Yes. FeedMeSafe is completely free to use. There are no accounts, no subscriptions, no premium tiers, and no advertising.
What happens if the service goes down?
If our servers are unavailable, QR scans will not work. Restaurant staff will see an error page. This is a limitation of the current design. We aim for high availability but cannot guarantee 100% uptime. Diners should always be prepared to communicate their allergies verbally as a backup.