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How do I responsibly use Fig?

Last updated: September 15, 2023

Thanks so much for trying Fig. We genuinely hope you’ll be able to find food that helps you feel your best.

Many members of the Fig team live with dietary restrictions ourselves, so we understand how significant and challenging they can be. We also understand the consequences of eating the wrong thing. For this reason, it’s really important to our team that you use the Fig app carefully.

Fig is meant to be used as a guide, not a crutch. It can save you a lot of time while searching for new products, but ultimately it’s up to you, your doctor and your dietitian to decide which specific foods are appropriate for you and your family.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind while using Fig: 

1.) Please use Fig as a guide to help you find products that LIKELY fit your needs, but ALWAYS double-check ingredients before purchasing or consuming anything.

Fig has hundreds of thousands of food products in its database. Since food manufacturers change ingredients and allergen statements regularly, it’s almost guaranteed that there will be incorrect information in the Fig app at times.

For this reason, it’s absolutely CRITICAL to double-check the ingredient and allergen label for any product before you buy it or eat it. We’re doing our best at Fig to keep information as accurate as possible, but because of the sheer number of products out there, it’s almost impossible for us to be right 100% of the time.

With that being said, if you do find a product with incorrect ingredient or allergen information in Fig, please submit it to us by using the “Report issue” button. We’ll update the information as soon as we can verify it.

2.) Remember that unlisted cross-contamination is always a risk, especially in the United States

In the United States, food manufacturers are legally required to indicate if a product’s ingredients contain one of the top 9 food allergens (for example, milk or wheat); however, manufacturers are not required to inform consumers if there is a risk of cross-contamination.

For example, imagine a pack of cookies that doesn’t contain egg as an ingredient; however, this pack of cookies is produced on the same manufacturing line as another snack that does contain egg. Unfortunately, the pack of cookies likely won’t list “egg” anywhere on its ingredient list or allergen statement. For a consumer with an egg allergy, this pack of cookies could be dangerous.

Fig does not yet account for unlisted cross-contamination; however, we are trying to figure out the best path forward here. In the meantime, please be extremely cautious. Stick with known allergen-friendly brands when you can, and contact the manufacturer when you have questions, especially if you live with a life-threatening food allergy.

3.) When in doubt, defer to common sense and guidance from your doctor or dietitian.

Again, Fig is meant to be a helpful guide: When walking into a grocery store with 20,000 items, Fig’s goal is to point you to the 2,000 products that LIKELY match all your needs. Always use your common sense and defer to your doctor or dietitian when deciding which specific foods are appropriate for you and your family to purchase and consume.

For example, if you have a peanut allergy and Fig says that a pack of peanuts likely fits your dietary needs, this is an error on Fig. Again, Fig is not going to be accurate 100% of the time. Fig’s goal is to guide you to products that likely work to save you time – it’s your responsibility to always confirm this. The safety of you and your family is extremely important to our team.

4.) If you are following a low FODMAP diet, please use Fig in conjunction with the Monash app.

If you have IBS and are following a Low FODMAP diet, Fig is best used alongside the Monash app. The Monash app will allow you to look up Low FODMAP serving sizes for hundreds of ingredients like wheat, spinach and strawberries. This is especially helpful when you come across ingredients flagged as yellow in Fig, as they’re often flagged yellow because they have both low and high FODMAP serving sizes.

Thanks for taking time to read this. We believe in helping everyone find food that helps them feel their best. Fig can be a powerful tool for finding new food options if used correctly. As always, if you have ideas for improving Fig, please don’t hesitate to let us know.