Melu — Know what's really in your kid's food.

Your pediatrician can't go grocery shopping with you. Melu can. Scan any barcode and get a 0–100 safety score calibrated to your child's age — because a toddler's body handles sugar, sodium, and additives very differently than a grade-schooler's.

Why Melu exists

Most food safety thresholds were set with grown-ups in mind — not your toddler. And most food scanners give every person the same generic number. Melu adjusts for your child's developmental stage, from newborn to age 12, so the score you see is the score that matters for your kid.

What it does

• Age-specific scoring. Sugar, sodium, and additive thresholds shift with your child's age, based on pediatric guidelines.
• Barcode scanning. Point your camera at any grocery product — most US grocery products work.
• Clear explanations. Not just "too much sugar" — how much of your child's daily limit is in one serving, and what a safe portion looks like.
• Dye & additive detection. Flags artificial dyes, preservatives, and additives restricted or banned in the EU.
• Context-aware. The same ingredient can be harmless in one product and worth watching in another — Melu knows the difference.

Same product. Different ages. Different scores.

A 6.75oz box of 100% apple juice scores 40 ("Use Caution") for a 2-year-old — it exceeds the daily juice limit for ages 1–3 — but 74 ("Okay in Moderation") for an 8-year-old. No other scanner makes that distinction.

Independent, always

No brand partnerships. No advertising. No sponsored scores. Every score is calculated with the same evidence-informed methodology, regardless of manufacturer. The core scanning experience is free.

Melu is published by Overstory Labs LLC. Support: info@overstorylabs.com