Frequently asked questions

Short, plain answers about Yasno: how the ingredient checker works, what its verdicts mean, how it handles allergens and your data, and what Premium costs.

Last updated 12 October 2026

Using Yasno

What is Yasno?

Yasno is an ingredient checker app for iPhone. You photograph the ingredient list on a food, drink or cosmetic product, and it explains every ingredient in three plain sentences: what it is, what it does and why it matters. Each explanation shows its sources.

How do I check the ingredients of a product?

Open Yasno and photograph the ingredient list, plus the nutrition panel if there is one. For a round jar or bottle, take up to four photos. You can also type the list. Yasno reads it, recognises each ingredient and shows a verdict for every one in a few seconds.

Does Yasno work for cosmetics as well as food?

Yes. It reads food, drink and cosmetic labels, including E-numbers and the INCI names printed on skincare, shampoo and make-up. Food and cosmetics are scored separately, because the same ingredient can matter differently when you eat it or put it on your skin.

Which languages does Yasno support?

The app is in English and Bulgarian, and works best with labels in those two languages. E-numbers and INCI names are recognised whatever language the label is printed in.

Is Yasno available on Android?

Not yet. Yasno is launching on iPhone first, in the European Union. An Android version is planned after that.

Verdicts and sources

What do Fine, Caution and Avoid mean?

Fine means no meaningful concern at normal amounts, and most ingredients are here. Caution means a real, specific concern worth knowing about. Avoid means a well-supported concern, such as a legal restriction or a major safety body’s finding. Caution and Avoid always name the reason and a source.

Where does Yasno’s information come from?

Regulatory status comes from official sources: the European Commission’s CosIng database, the EU food additives database and the US FDA. Health explanations summarise safety bodies such as EFSA, SCCS, ECHA and IARC, and peer-reviewed reviews. Blogs, campaign groups and other apps are excluded.

How is the Yasno score calculated?

Every product starts at 100. Each Caution or Avoid ingredient takes points off, more if it appears early in the list. For food and drinks, the nutrition panel adds or removes a few points for sugar, saturated fat, salt, fibre and protein. Any Avoid ingredient caps the score at 40. See the full arithmetic.

Is the information reviewed before it reaches the app?

Yes. Every explanation first passes automated checks: sources must exist, the wording can’t sound more certain than the source, and it can’t contradict official data. Each record is then reviewed against its sources, by our editor or by an AI reviewer working to written rules, and the record notes which. Only reviewed records reach the app.

Allergens and health

Can Yasno tell me if a product is safe for my allergy?

No, and it never claims to. Yasno points out allergens it finds in the label it read, but it can’t confirm that one is absent: a photo can be misread, a label can be incomplete, and cross-contamination isn’t always printed. Always check the physical label and follow your doctor’s advice.

Is Yasno medical advice?

No. Yasno describes what regulators and published research say about ingredients. It doesn’t diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. For questions about your own health, allergies or medication, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

What personal settings can I add?

Optionally: allergies (the 14 allergens EU law requires on labels), pregnancy, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, a child in the household, conditions such as coeliac disease, IBS, diabetes or high blood pressure, your skin type, and ingredients you want to avoid. Each has its own switch.

Privacy and account

Do I need an account to use Yasno?

No. Everything works without one, and your profile and history then stay on your phone. Signing in with Apple only backs them up and lets you use them on another iPhone.

What happens to the photos I take?

A photo is sent to our server only so the text can be read. We never store it, and it is never used to train AI. A small preview stays in the scan history on your phone. Read the privacy policy.

How do I delete my data?

In the app, open Account and choose Delete account. That permanently deletes your account, profile and history from our servers and from your phone. Without an account, removing the app removes everything.

Price and subscription

Is Yasno free?

You get 10 free scans every month. Yasno Premium adds unlimited scans, the full personal profile and unlimited history for €5.99 a month or €39.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial on the yearly plan for new subscribers.

How do I cancel Yasno Premium?

On your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions, then Yasno. Cancel at least 24 hours before the current period ends to avoid the next charge. Premium stays active until the end of the period you have paid for.