Our story

About IntelliEats

A Science-Fair Idea That Became a Mission to Make Food Ingredients Easier to Understand

Every day, millions of people encounter complicated food ingredient labels. Names such as sodium benzoate, soy lecithin, xanthan gum, and artificial flavoring can raise questions about what goes into packaged foods.

But finding clear, reliable information is not always easy. Scientific research can be difficult to interpret, and online discussions may present conflicting or unnecessarily alarming claims.

IntelliEats was created to make food ingredient information more understandable and accessible. What began as a science-fair idea evolved into a mobile application that combines ingredient recognition, educational explanations, and research references.

Our goal is to help people understand what ingredients do, why manufacturers use them, and what available scientific evidence tells us. We believe that learning about food should encourage curiosity and informed decisions rather than unnecessary fear.

IntelliEats is not designed to tell people what they should eat. It provides educational information to help them make their own informed choices.

Our Mission

To make food ingredient information understandable, accessible, and evidence-informed through technology and education.

Our Vision

A world where consumers can explore the ingredients in their everyday food with greater confidence, curiosity, and understanding.

The story behind IntelliEats

From Science Fair to Mobile App

An Idea, a Shared Passion for Science, and the Power of Technology

IntelliEats began with a simple but meaningful question:

How can we help people better understand the ingredients in the food they eat?

The original idea was developed by Lakshya Matele as a science-fair project. The project explored how technology could help consumers identify and understand unfamiliar ingredients found in packaged foods.

With support and collaboration from Nidhi Matele, the idea was researched, refined, and developed further. The project received recognition through the Science and Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit and the 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

But we wanted the idea to go beyond a science-fair presentation. We wanted to transform it into something people could actually use.

Nidhi applied her software development experience to turn the concept into a functional mobile application, working together with Lakshya to develop and improve the idea.

That journey led to IntelliEats — an ingredient-analysis application available to consumers. Today, IntelliEats helps users capture ingredient labels, explore ingredient information, and access research citations from a convenient mobile interface.

For us, IntelliEats represents more than an application. It demonstrates how scientific curiosity, education, family collaboration, and software engineering can come together to solve practical problems.

1
The Idea
A question about packaged-food ingredients: how can we help people better understand what they eat?
2
Scientific Exploration
Lakshya researched and developed the concept as a science-fair project, with support from Nidhi.
3
Recognition
The project was recognized at SEFMD and in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2024.
4
Real-World Application
Nidhi and Lakshya turned the concept into IntelliEats, released as a mobile app on iOS and Android.

Meet the creators

Meet the People Behind IntelliEats

Built Through Curiosity, Research, and Software Development.

IntelliEats was founded, created, and developed by Nidhi Matele and Lakshya Matele.

Nidhi Matele

Co-Founder, Co-Creator & Application Developer

Nidhi Matele is a software developer, digital product creator, and educational mentor based in Michigan, USA.

She began her professional career as a software developer at a multinational engineering company in India, where she spent four years working on production software. After moving to the United States, she continued expanding her technical skills through independent software development and digital product creation.

Her experience includes mobile application development, website development, and building educational digital products. She works with technologies including:

Flutter & Dart
Android
iOS
Swift & Xcode
React & web
WordPress
AI-assisted solutions
Responsive web design

Nidhi has independently designed, developed, and launched applications and websites, taking ideas through design, implementation, testing, and publication.

Alongside software development, she has extensive experience supporting STEM education. She has coached Science Olympiad students, mentored science-fair projects, and supported robotics, coding, and mathematics learning across different grade levels.

Her passion for education and technology played an important role in transforming the IntelliEats science-fair concept into a mobile application. For IntelliEats, Nidhi contributed to refining the concept, application design, software development, and bringing the product to mobile platforms.

She believes that technology should make complicated information more accessible and useful in everyday life.

Other work: Beyond IntelliEats, Nidhi develops educational apps, utility applications, websites, and learning resources. Her portfolio includes mobile applications such as TinySorts, BingoBEE, and RemindIQ, as well as educational websites and published learning materials.

Explore Nidhi’s Digital Studio

Lakshya Matele

Co-Founder, Co-Creator & Science-Fair Innovator

Lakshya Matele is a young innovator with an interest in science, technology, and solving everyday problems.

Lakshya originated the IntelliEats concept as a science-fair project focused on helping consumers better understand ingredients in packaged foods. The idea explored how technology and ingredient research could make complex food information easier for everyday users to interpret.

Through research, experimentation, and collaboration, the project developed into an approach that brought together scientific information and practical consumer needs.

Following the science-fair experience, Lakshya continued collaborating with Nidhi to help develop the IntelliEats concept into a real-world application.

Lakshya’s contribution reflects the importance of asking questions, exploring scientific evidence, and turning ideas into useful solutions. The IntelliEats journey demonstrates that meaningful innovation can begin with a simple observation and a willingness to investigate it.

The project’s work was recognized at two science competitions:

2024 Science and Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit — Junior & Elementary Grand Award
2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge — Michigan State Merit Winner

Awards and recognition

Recognized for Science and Innovation

From Student Research to an Educational Technology Application

2024 Science and Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit

Junior & Elementary Grand Award

The original IntelliEats science-fair project, created by Lakshya Matele, received recognition at the Science and Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit.

Official SEFMD information

2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge

Michigan State Merit Winner

Lakshya Matele received State Merit Winner recognition in the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Official 3M announcement

Patent-Pending Innovation

IntelliEats — Patent Pending

The IntelliEats innovation is the subject of a pending patent application. This reflects our continued interest in developing original approaches to making ingredient information more accessible.

The science competition awards were granted to Lakshya Matele and the original science-fair project, not to the IntelliEats app. They do not represent an endorsement of the app by 3M, Discovery Education, or SEFMD.

Our approach to science

Making Scientific Information Easier to Understand

Food science is complex, and ingredient information should be considered in context. At IntelliEats, we aim to make credible scientific information more accessible to everyday consumers.

Our educational information draws on sources such as:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
World Health Organization (WHO)
National Institutes of Health (NIH), where applicable
Mayo Clinic
Published scientific research papers

The IntelliEats application includes scientific citations with ingredient information so users can explore supporting sources.

These organizations are information sources only. They do not approve, sponsor, or endorse IntelliEats.

Our approach emphasizes

Credible Information: We aim to use established scientific and regulatory sources instead of unsupported ingredient claims.
Understanding Context: The effects of an ingredient may depend on the amount consumed, exposure patterns, and individual circumstances.
Acknowledging Uncertainty: Research findings can have limitations, and scientific understanding changes as new evidence becomes available.
Avoiding Fear-Based Conclusions: An unfamiliar ingredient name does not automatically indicate that a food is harmful.
Supporting Independent Decisions: Our goal is to help people understand information, not make health decisions on their behalf.

IntelliEats is an educational resource, not a substitute for medical advice or professional dietary guidance.

More Apps and Learning Tools From Nidhi

Creating technology that makes everyday life and learning easier. Beyond IntelliEats, Nidhi builds educational applications and practical digital tools that reflect her interest in supporting learning, productivity, and everyday problem-solving.

TinySorts: Sort & Learn

Educational Game · iPhone and iPad

An interactive sorting game where children sort items into categories, earn stars and experience points, unlock friendly robot companions, and build their own virtual worlds.

300 learning levels across 30 topics
Colors and shapes to math, vocabulary, and science
Robot Town and Moon Mission progression

According to its current App Store listing, it has no advertising or in-app purchases.

Explore TinySorts on the App Store

BingoBEE

Educational Game · iPhone and iPad

Transforms classic bingo into an educational activity for children, families, homeschoolers, and classrooms, with themed sets covering multiplication, division, science, geography, patterns, and coding logic.

Explore BingoBEE on the App Store

RemindIQ

Productivity & Reminders · iPhone and iPad

Helps users turn information from school flyers, calendars, and other documents into reminders, simplifying everyday organization through image recognition and reminder management.

Explore RemindIQ on the App Store

IntelliEats

Food Ingredient Education · iOS and Android

Scan food ingredient labels and explore research-informed ingredient explanations, combining ingredient identification, educational information, and research citations.

App Store Google Play

Explore More Projects by Nidhi

What Drives IntelliEats

Curiosity
We believe asking questions is the beginning of learning.
Scientific Understanding
We value credible information, context, and transparency about uncertainty.
Accessibility
We aim to explain complicated ingredient information in language people can understand.
Practical Innovation
We believe useful technology should help solve real problems in everyday life.

Get in Touch

We welcome questions, feedback, suggestions, and opportunities to improve IntelliEats.

Whether you have a question about an ingredient, would like to suggest an educational topic, or want to share feedback about the application, we would love to hear from you.

Contact IntelliEats Explore the IntelliEats App Visit Nidhi’s Digital Studio

IntelliEats Contact Email: [email protected]
Founders, Creators & Developers: Nidhi Matele and Lakshya Matele
Website: https://intelieats.com/
Nidhi’s Professional Portfolio: mnidhi20.github.io/nmDigitalStudio

Educational Disclaimer

IntelliEats provides general educational information about food ingredients, additives, and nutrition.

The application does not provide medical advice, diagnose medical conditions, or guarantee that a food product is safe for a particular individual.

Ingredient information may contain inaccuracies or omissions, and scientific research may evolve.

Individuals with food allergies, medical conditions, or specialized dietary needs should verify product information with manufacturers and consult qualified healthcare professionals when appropriate.