Travel with food allergies
Your allergy card for Vietnam, in Vietnamese
Street stalls and family kitchens in Vietnam rarely read English. TrustBite shows staff a clear allergy card written in Vietnamese — naming exactly what you cannot eat — and it works offline when you have no signal. Beyond a printed card, you also get barcode scanning and AI menu and photo checks, so you are covered from a Hanoi phở stall to a Da Nang supermarket shelf.
Why a Vietnamese card beats a printed one
A single printable card gets creased, lost, or ignored. TrustBite lives on your phone in 24 languages — including Vietnamese, plus Chinese, Thai, Arabic and Japanese for the rest of your trip. It covers all 14 EU-regulated allergens with your personal severity levels, carries your emergency (ICE) contact right on the card, and loads fully offline. Hand your phone across the counter and the staff read your allergens in their own language, instantly, even deep in the Mekong Delta with no data.
Vietnam's real allergen traps — named honestly
Fish sauce (nước mắm) is the backbone of Vietnamese cooking and hides in broths, marinades and nearly every dipping sauce (nước chấm) — a fish allergy needs constant attention here. Peanuts (đậu phộng) are crushed over gỏi salads, bún bò Huế and fresh spring rolls (gỏi cuốn), whose dipping sauce is often peanut-based. Shellfish and crab drive dishes like bún riêu and many stock bases, and shrimp paste (mắm tôm) appears in dips and Huế-style soups. Soy shows up as soy sauce (nước tương), tofu and hoisin (tương đen). For gluten: rice noodles in phở and bún are naturally rice-based, but soy sauce and hoisin usually contain wheat, and bánh mì is a wheat baguette.
Scan barcodes, menus and dishes on the go
In convenience stores and supermarkets, scan a product barcode and TrustBite checks it against Open Food Facts, returning a simple green, yellow or red verdict for your profile. Faced with a Vietnamese-only menu, use the AI menu scan to flag likely risks, or photograph a plated dish for an AI photo check. TrustBite is free to start; optional Pro unlocks unlimited scans and the AI features. Always treat every result as a prompt to confirm with staff, not a final answer.
FAQ
Is it hard to eat gluten-free in Vietnam?
It is manageable but needs care. Rice noodles (phở, bún), rice paper and broken rice (cơm tấm) are naturally rice-based, which helps. The catches are soy sauce and hoisin (usually made with wheat), the wheat baguette in bánh mì, and shared fryers. Show TrustBite's Vietnamese card so staff can steer you toward safe rice-based dishes and confirm the sauces.
Can I avoid fish sauce in Vietnamese food?
It is very difficult, because fish sauce (nước mắm) is in most broths, marinades and dipping sauces. If you have a fish allergy, use the card to state it clearly in Vietnamese and ask specifically about the broth and the nước chấm. Some vegetarian (chay) versions use soy-based sauces instead, but always verify with staff before eating.
Does the allergy card work without internet?
Yes. Your allergen card renders fully offline once TrustBite is installed, so you can show it at a rural stall or on a train with no signal. Barcode, menu and photo scanning need a connection because they query external data and AI, so run those while you have Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Is TrustBite a medical device?
No. TrustBite is a communication and information aid to help you explain your allergies and screen foods. It does not diagnose, treat or guarantee safety. Always confirm ingredients directly with restaurant staff, and if you experience a severe reaction, use your emergency medication and call local emergency services immediately.
TrustBite is an aid for communicating food allergies, not a medical device. It does not provide medical advice or guarantee that any food is safe. Ingredients, recipes and cross-contamination vary by kitchen, so always confirm directly with restaurant staff before eating. Scan results and translations may contain errors. If you have a severe allergic reaction, use your prescribed emergency medication and call local emergency services right away.
