How Our AI Deciphers Menu Labels: 'Contains' vs. 'May Contain'

For diners with food allergies or dietary restrictions, the difference between "Contains Nuts" and "May Contain Nuts" on a menu isn't just semantics—it's a matter of safety. At mm food, our AI-powered app analyzes restaurant menus with surgical precision to distinguish these critical declarations, empowering you to dine with confidence. Here's how it works:

1. Semantic Analysis for Absolute Certainty

Our AI scans menu descriptions word-by-word using Natural Language Processing (NLP). When ingredients are explicitly listed (e.g., "peanut sauce," "walnut crust"), the app categorizes this as "Contains." It cross-references these terms against your dietary profile (e.g., nut-free, gluten-free) to flag unsafe dishes with zero ambiguity.

2. Contextual Clues for Cross-Contamination Risks

"May Contain" warnings signal potential allergen exposure during prep or cooking. Our AI detects this by:

• Identifying disclaimers (e.g., "made in a shared kitchen").
• Analyzing cuisine-specific risks (e.g., fried foods in oil used for seafood).
• Recognizing pattern-based red flags like "vegan options available" (risk of dairy cross-contact). These contextual cues trigger a "May Contain" alert in the app, allowing you to decide your comfort level.

3. Data-Driven Confidence Scoring

Every menu item receives a safety score:

• ✅ Safe: No allergenic ingredients detected.
• ⚠️ May Contain: Low-to-moderate cross-contact risk based on kitchen practices.
• ❌ Contains: Definitive allergen presence. The AI updates scores dynamically by learning from aggregated user feedback and global food safety databases.

4. Translating Nuance, Globally

Even for translated menus, the AI preserves subtle distinctions. Phrases like "peut contenir" (French) or "精制过程可能有" (Chinese) are classified as "May Contain," while direct ingredient mentions remain "Contains."

With mm food, you're not just reading a menu—you're decoding it with AI precision. We transform uncertainty into empowerment, one safe bite at a time.