PKU Bite

PKU Bite is an app for people with phenylketonuria (PKU) or their families or carers. A low phenylalanine diet is the main treatment for PKU. Phenylalanine is found in protein, so protein containing foods need to be restricted. It cannot be removed from the diet completely as it is needed for growth and repair in the body. In PKU protein is given in measured amounts each day, known as exchanges. Knowing which foods contain protein and in what quantity is difficult to remember. Reading and interpreting food labels on manufactured foods can be particularly confusing. PKU Bite contains information on over 1100 foods. It describes which foods are low in protein and so can be eaten without measuring (‘exchange free foods’), foods which are high in protein so best avoided, and foods which need to be calculated as part of the daily protein/phenylalanine exchange allowance. Foods are colour coded using the traffic light system used by the patient support group, NSPKU. Each food has information on: what the food is, food preparation, storage, availability, menu ideas and recipes. Foods can be searched for by name or by food category. An inbuilt calculator enables the user to enter protein values from food labels and it will calculate the number of protein exchanges per 100g or per portion of the food.