diff --git a/apps/backend/.env.example b/apps/backend/.env.example
index 701e422..2b28232 100644
--- a/apps/backend/.env.example
+++ b/apps/backend/.env.example
@@ -19,3 +19,8 @@ VAPID_SUBJECT=mailto:admin@example.com
 # Expo Push Notifications (mobile). Get token from:
 #   https://expo.dev/accounts/[username]/settings/access-tokens
 EXPO_ACCESS_TOKEN=
+
+# Open Food Facts (optional, improves rate limits)
+# Register at: https://world.openfoodfacts.org/
+OFF_USERNAME=
+OFF_PASSWORD=
diff --git a/apps/backend/off-service.js b/apps/backend/off-service.js
index 9c5a3bd..988ebc9 100644
--- a/apps/backend/off-service.js
+++ b/apps/backend/off-service.js
@@ -4,6 +4,20 @@ import redisClient from './redis-client.js';
 const OFF_API_BASE = 'https://world.openfoodfacts.org';
 const CACHE_TTL = 3600;
 
+// Open Food Facts authentication (optional, improves rate limits)
+const OFF_USERNAME = process.env.OFF_USERNAME;
+const OFF_PASSWORD = process.env.OFF_PASSWORD;
+
+function getOffAuth() {
+  if (OFF_USERNAME && OFF_PASSWORD) {
+    return {
+      username: OFF_USERNAME,
+      password: OFF_PASSWORD,
+    };
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
 export function transformOFFProduct(offProduct) {
   if (!offProduct || !offProduct._id || !offProduct.product_name) {
     return null;
@@ -53,6 +67,7 @@ export async function searchBabyProducts(query) {
     }
 
     console.log(`Fetching from OFF API: ${searchTerm}`);
+    const auth = getOffAuth();
     const response = await axios.get(`${OFF_API_BASE}/cgi/search.pl`, {
       params: {
         search_terms: searchTerm,
@@ -63,6 +78,7 @@ export async function searchBabyProducts(query) {
       },
       timeout: 10000,
       validateStatus: (status) => status === 200,
+      ...(auth && { auth }),
     });
 
     // Check if response is actually JSON (OFF sometimes returns HTML on error)
@@ -108,8 +124,11 @@ export async function getBabyProductDetails(barcode) {
     }
 
     console.log(`Fetching OFF product details: ${barcode}`);
+    const auth = getOffAuth();
     const response = await axios.get(`${OFF_API_BASE}/api/v2/product/${barcode}.json`, {
       timeout: 10000,
+      validateStatus: (status) => status === 200,
+      ...(auth && { auth }),
     });
 
     if (response.data && response.data.product) {