AI Disclosure

How MacroMint uses artificial intelligence · Effective date: May 19, 2026

✨ You are interacting with AI. MacroMint uses Google Gemini, a large language model developed by Google DeepMind, to power food recognition and recipe generation features. This page explains exactly what data is sent to AI systems, how results are generated, and their limitations. We are committed to being transparent about our use of AI.

1. What AI We Use

MacroMint uses Google Gemini (a generative AI model developed by Google DeepMind) to power the following features. All AI calls are routed through Firebase Cloud Functions (server-side) — your raw photos and data are not sent directly from your device to Google. The Firebase Cloud Function acts as a secure intermediary.

2. AI-Powered Features

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Food Photo Recognition

When you take or upload a photo of your meal, the image is analysed by Google Gemini AI to identify food items and estimate their nutritional content (calories, protein, carbs, fat). Results are then matched against the FatSecret food database where possible.

Data sent to AI: Your food photo (base64 encoded image) and image MIME type.

AI model: Google Gemini (via Firebase Cloud Functions / parseFood)

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Natural Language Food Logging

When you type a description of what you ate (e.g., 'I had 2 eggs and toast with butter'), Google Gemini parses your text to identify food items and portion sizes, then looks up nutritional data from the FatSecret database.

Data sent to AI: Your text description of food consumed.

AI model: Google Gemini (via Firebase Cloud Functions / parseFood)

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AI Recipe Generation

When you request a recipe from your pantry, MacroMint sends your available pantry items and remaining daily macro targets to Google Gemini, which generates a recipe suggestion designed to fit your nutritional goals.

Data sent to AI: Your pantry item list (product names, quantities) and remaining macro targets (protein g, fat g, carbs g) for the day.

AI model: Google Gemini (via Firebase Cloud Functions / generateRecipe)

3. Accuracy & Limitations

AI estimates are approximate. Please be aware of the following limitations:

Food photo recognition may misidentify foods, especially mixed dishes, home-cooked meals, or non-standard portion sizes.
Calorie and macro estimates from photos can vary ±20–30% or more from actual values.
Natural language parsing may not correctly identify specific ingredients, cooking methods, or brands.
AI-generated recipes do not know your food allergies or dietary restrictions unless you explicitly state them in your request.
AI recipe nutritional estimates are approximate and should not be used for medically supervised diets without professional verification.
AI systems can produce outputs that are plausible-sounding but factually incorrect ("hallucinations").

Always verify nutritional information against product labels when precision is important for your health.

4. Data Privacy — What Happens to Your Photos

When you submit a food photo for AI analysis:

Your photo is transmitted from your device to a Firebase Cloud Function (our server), not directly to Google.
The Firebase Cloud Function forwards the image to the Google Gemini API for analysis.
MacroMint does not store your food photos after the analysis is complete.
Google processes the image under its Privacy Policy and the Google Cloud / Firebase Terms of Service.
Please refer to our Privacy Policy for full details on data flows.

5. Human Oversight

AI-generated content in MacroMint is not reviewed by a human nutritionist before being displayed to you. The App is a self-service tool. If you need verified nutritional information or dietary guidance, please consult a registered dietitian or healthcare professional.

6. EU AI Act Transparency (EU Users)

If you are located in the European Union, MacroMint informs you that food photo recognition and recipe generation features in this App are powered by artificial intelligence systems (Google Gemini). This disclosure is provided in accordance with transparency obligations under the EU AI Act. You are interacting with AI-generated content when using these features, and the outputs are not the result of human analysis.

7. FTC Transparency (US Users)

MacroMint discloses to US users that food recognition, NLP food logging, and recipe generation features are AI-powered. AI estimates may differ from actual nutritional values. This disclosure is provided in accordance with FTC guidance on AI transparency in consumer-facing products.

8. Questions About AI

If you have questions about how we use AI, contact us at privacy@macromint.dev.