App gives company info from USDA EST number
The Establishment Number Finder App reportedly is the first such app dedicated to searching for company details via the EST number. Users can harness the app to gain instant access to the manufacturer of a product, address, phone and website.
Creative thinking
The app is the brainchild of Ed Bleka Jr., a freshman finance student at Chicago’s DePaul University, who came up with the idea during his internship at Quantum Foods. In an interview with FoodProductionDaily.com, Bleka said the idea occurred to him in the test kitchen, when he and his colleagues were struggling to find information on a product’s maker.
“After finding the process to be very difficult, I decided to develop an app which would make the process instant,” he said.
Range of usefulness
All containers of meat, poultry and egg products made or sold in the US must bear an EST number, indicating inspection and EST number (assigned to the plant where the product was produced). Bleka said the app can serve as a useful resource for food industry professionals.
“People in the food industry not only may use it to find out the producers of a certain product but the app serves as a directory for all of the food industry,” he said. “Someone in the food industry can find all of a company's information in an instant rather than researching the company online.”
Customizable content
The app can be customized according to user preference. It can save all previously searched EST numbers, record notes regarding products, capture product photos and save all the associated information. Bleka pointed out that it also can be useful in looking up and contacting companies in case of a product recall.
The Establishment Number Finder App is available for $4.99 USD through the Apple iTunes Store. According to Bleka, the app will be updated frequently throughout the year.
