NoJunk scans the complete ingredient list, not just the allergen box, and flags hidden gluten sources like malt extract, modified starch, and wheat derivatives. Scan any barcode, get results instantly, and make an informed choice. Free on iOS and Android.
Scan any barcode. NoJunk reads every ingredient on the label and flags the ones that contain gluten, including the hidden sources manufacturers don't make obvious.
The obvious grains are easy. Wheat, rye, and barley show up clearly when they are listed as the main ingredient. The problem is that gluten travels under dozens of other names.
Malt extract is made from barley. It shows up in cereals, flavored crackers, and drinks where you would not think to look. Modified food starch can come from wheat, but the label just says "modified food starch" and leaves you to figure out the source yourself. Wheat dextrin, wheat starch, and hydrolyzed wheat protein are all legitimate ingredient names that pass right by people scanning for the word "wheat."
Then there are the cross-contamination signals: "May contain wheat," "made in a facility that also processes wheat products," and "dedicated gluten-free facility." None of those phrases are required on the label, and none of them are standardized. A "dedicated gluten-free facility" is a stronger claim than the precautionary warnings, but "may contain wheat" and "made in a facility that processes wheat" carry the same legal status: voluntary, unregulated, and not a guarantee.
The allergen box is a regulatory floor, not a complete picture. Hidden gluten lives in the ingredient list. That is what NoJunk reads.
1. Scan the barcode. Point your phone at any packaged food. NoJunk reads the product and pulls the full ingredient list, including sub-ingredients listed inside compound items.
2. Every ingredient is checked. NoJunk runs the full list against a database of gluten-containing ingredients, known derivatives, and flagged sources like malt extract and modified starch. It does not stop at the allergen box.
3. You see exactly what was found. If a gluten source is detected, NoJunk highlights the specific ingredient and explains why it was flagged. If nothing is found, you see that clearly too.
The whole check takes a few seconds. No account required, no subscription wall on the scan itself.
NoJunk checks the full ingredient list for direct sources, derivatives, and common ambiguous ingredients:
Many gluten-checking apps stop at the allergen box. The allergen box is a regulatory minimum printed at the bottom of the label. What it captures is not a complete picture of what is gluten-free.
NoJunk parses the full ingredient list. That is where hidden gluten actually lives. Competitors might flag "wheat" or "barley" listed at the top, but NoJunk catches malt extract, modified food starch, wheat dextrin, and dozens of other disguised gluten sources that other apps skip entirely. The difference is not just speed; it is completeness.
When you scan a label with NoJunk, you see every ingredient and exactly what was flagged. Not every ingredient list is straightforward, and not every app reads all the way through.
The gluten-free checker is for anyone whose first step at the grocery store is reading the ingredient list carefully.
People managing celiac disease need to avoid gluten entirely, and that starts with knowing exactly what is in a product. People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity follow the same discipline even without a formal diagnosis. People with a wheat allergy need wheat and wheat derivatives flagged regardless of where they appear on the label.
NoJunk is not a diagnostic tool. It does not tell you whether a product is medically safe for your condition. That conversation belongs with your doctor or dietitian. What NoJunk does is show you exactly what the label says, with every ingredient identified, so you can make your own decision with full information.
Label transparency. Not medical advice.
NoJunk is a label-reading tool, not a certification body. It does not certify products as gluten-free. What it does is parse the full ingredient list and flag every ingredient that contains gluten or a known gluten derivative. Third-party certification programs test products for contamination levels in the product itself. NoJunk works from the printed label. If a product carries a certified gluten-free seal, that seal reflects independent testing conducted by the certifying organization, separate from anything NoJunk does.
NoJunk can help people with celiac disease read ingredient labels more carefully. It flags direct gluten sources and common hidden sources that are easy to miss in a long ingredient list. That said, NoJunk is not a medical device and does not replace guidance from your gastroenterologist or registered dietitian. Use it as a label-reading aid alongside your medical team's advice, not as a substitute for it. Managing celiac disease involves more than ingredient lists, and your care team should remain your primary resource.
Yes. Malt extract is barley-derived and is on NoJunk's flag list. The app also flags modified food starch when wheat is the source (or when the source is not specified on the label), wheat-derived ingredients listed under technical names, and barley-based additives. If the ingredient label discloses it, NoJunk will catch it. If a manufacturer uses an ingredient alias that does not appear on the label, NoJunk cannot flag what is not printed there. The app reads the label as written.
The full ingredient list. The allergen box is a regulatory minimum. Manufacturers are not required to list all derivatives there. Ingredients like malt extract, barley syrup, and wheat glucose syrup can appear in the ingredient list without being called out in the "Contains" statement at the bottom of the label. NoJunk reads the complete ingredient list top to bottom, not just the allergen box. That is where hidden gluten actually shows up.
Yes. The gluten-free checker is part of the free version of NoJunk. You can scan products and see ingredient flags without paying anything. NoJunk offers a paid tier with deeper nutrition tracking features, but the gluten scan is available at no cost on both iOS and Android. No account is required to run a scan.
NoJunk is primarily a barcode scanner. Products without a scannable barcode cannot be checked through the barcode feature. The app is designed for packaged goods with standard product barcodes. Items like fresh produce, bulk bin items, and restaurant food without packaging are not supported by the barcode scan. If a product has a barcode but it is damaged or unreadable, the scan will not complete.
Download NoJunk and scan your first product in under a minute.