DasmanSwitch FAQs

DasmanSwitch is synonymous with the parent application “FoodSwitch” apart from the additional newly developed diabetes filter (DiabetesSwitch). The original FoodSwitch application gives you immediate, easy-to-understand nutritional information about packaged food products, as well as a list of similar foods that are alternative choices. You can access this through the app by scanning the product barcode using your smartphone camera.

DasmanSwitch is powered by a large independent packaged food products database. However, because there are always new products coming on the market and some products are only available in certain areas, not all food products available in Kuwait are in the database yet. This is why we encourage DasmanSwitch users to help us add to the database using the “Help Us Out?” functionality.

The app identifies healthier choices by comparing the overall nutritional value of foods. The algorithm used is based on the nutritional profiling system. It takes into account the different factors important to good nutrition, including fats, sugars, salt, energy, protein, dietary fiber, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes (FVNL) content, and (for some products) calcium.

The app is free of charge.

The DasmanSwitch App is based on the FoodSwitch App which is currently free and available to everyone in the below-listed countries who uses an Apple or Android smartphone that supports the app.

• Australia
• China
• Fiji
• Hong Kong
• India
• Kuwait
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

If you use the DasmanSwitch App outside of Kuwait it will likely not recognize the scanned items.

The DasmanSwitch App is currently available in Arabic only, but there is a future plan to upgrade it as a multilingual app and add English to it.

iPhone users: Download DasmanSwitch from the App Store, either online or on your device. Check it from here: https://apps.apple.com/kw/app/foodswitch/id1611121959

Android smartphone users: Download DasmanSwitch from Google Play2, either online or on your Android smartphone. Check it from here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foodswitch.android

The app is free of charge. An internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi) is required to download it and to share information by email. Standard usage charges may apply if using mobile data – check with your internet and mobile service providers for more information.

DasmanSwitch works on:

• Apple iPhone devices that run on iOS version 7.1 or later that have a camera with auto-focus.
• Android smartphones that run on Android version 4.3 or later that have a camera with auto-focus.

Note: If you are using a smartphone without a camera capable of auto-focus, DasmanSwitch may not be compatible with this device. Without auto-focus, the pictures of the barcode will be blurry and DamanSwitch will be unable to identify the product.

DiabetesSwitch is a feature to help people impacted by diabetes. The display provides information relevant to the condition: Net Carbs, Fiber, Energy, Protein, Saturated fat, and Salt. The algorithms used to suggest healthier choices have also been specifically developed based on the nutritional needs of those affected. The Healthier Choices suggested consider both the food’s overall healthiness and its level of nutritive carbohydrates or Net Carbs.

Each product in DiabetesSwitch is rated for its energy, saturated fat, net carbs, fiber, and salt. The traffic light color ratings tell you if a food’s components are good (green), OK (amber), or bad (red), based on widely accepted nutritional standards. Each traffic light rating also displays the actual value per 100g. Values for protein are also displayed although color ratings are not applicable.

DiabetesSwitch has been developed to help those impacted by diabetes. It has been developed for the general population and does not consider each individual personal dietary needs. For specialized advice please contact your medical professional.

Each product you see in DasmanSwitch has been rated for its amount of energy, saturated fat, sugars, and sodium, as well as for other important food components including protein, dietary fiber, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes (FVNL) content, and for some products, calcium. The Health Star Rating (HSR) considers all of these factors to give you an idea of how healthy the product is overall; a lower star rating indicates a less healthy choice, and a higher star rating indicates a healthier choice.

Each product you see in DasmanSwitch has been rated for its amount of energy, total fat, saturated fat, sugars, and salt content. The traffic light ratings tell you if a product is low (green), medium (amber), or high (red) in these food components, based on widely accepted nutritional standards.

The Traffic Light Labels red, amber, and green classifications are based on the UK Government Scheme and are related to recommended dietary intake values for an adult. In the UK, the energy label is displayed in grey.

The content of food products is generally expressed in two different ways: per serve and per 100g. Currently, there is no standard to determine these serve sizes. Manufacturers are free to decide the most appropriate serving size for their products. Comparing nutrient values “per 100 grams” allows for a more consistent comparison across products, and the same approach is used by the DasmanSwitch App.

When viewing in Traffic Light Labels mode, the red, amber, and green classifications are determined based on per 100g/mL values, but the key nutrients are presented per serve, in line with the UK Government scheme on which the Traffic Light system is based.

When viewing in Health Star Rating mode, the key nutrient values (energy, saturated fat, sugars, and sodium) are presented per 100g/ml.

The ranking of healthier alternatives in both modes is based on the per 100g/mL nutrient content for each product.

Where sufficient information is provided on pack in regard to gluten, DasmanSwitch has listed the gluten status of the product which is displayed in a blue tag underneath the product name. The status for each product is based on the most recent package data we have for a product, however, the manufacturer may have updated the label or ingredients in the meantime and this may change the gluten status. We recommend always contacting the manufacturer if you have any questions or concerns about the product and its gluten status.

The definitions of each gluten tag are listed below:

Contains gluten – this product contains gluten.

Likely gluten-free – this product is not marketed as gluten free but has no gluten-containing ingredients listed on the label. Please check the label.

Gluten-free – this product is reported as gluten-free by the manufacturer and/or is naturally gluten-free. Please check the label.

Unknown (blank) – this product has not yet been classified as gluten-free or not and its gluten status is unknown. Please check the label.

You can give feedback or ask a question by email at geohealthlab@dasmaninstitute.org