A new Vancouver-based app is putting food safety at your fingertips.
Co-founder Earl Buchan has developed FoodSpect, an app that allows consumers to easily access restaurant inspection data on their smartphones.
“It’s information that can help you determine if you should eat at a restaurant or move on to the next one,” says Buchan.
The idea was hatched in 2014 when Buchan and his business partner attended an open data conference.
They decided to take information already available to the public and make it easily accessible.
Buchan says FoodSpect pulls information from several health authorities across B.C. and allows users to download food inspection results from restaurants across the province.
Users can find out several facts including if food is being stored and cooked at proper temperatures, or if employees are washing their hands.
“It’s also going to encourage restaurants to step up their ‘A’ game,” said Buchan.
The app is available on iTunes and Google Play and costs $1.39 to download.