Reviews

Reviewer: Consumer, New Zealand
Review: “This month, a smartphone app called ‘FoodSwitch’ is being launched by the University of Auckland’s National Institute for Health Innovation (NIHI). The free app lets you scan the barcodes of packaged foods using your smartphone’s camera. FoodSwitch then gives you colour-coded ‘traffic-light’ information about the food’s fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt content. You’ll be able to see at a glance whether a food has high (red), or medium-ish (orange), or low (green) amounts of total fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt. FoodSwitch will also give you a list of similar foods that are healthier choices, and it lets you share all this via social media. Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu, who leads NIHI’s nutrition research programme, says people have been bewildered by confusing food labels for too long. “Research shows that people like traffic-light labels and can use them to make healthier choices. FoodSwitch is a tool that can help them do this”. FoodSwitch was originally developed in Australia by the George Institute for Global Health, and is being launched here with Bupa Care Services NZ. Auckland researchers have tailored it for New Zealand shoppers with over 8,000 packaged foods in the database. What’s more, shoppers can help increase this number; if you scan a barcode not in the database, you’re prompted to take three photos of the product’s package for researchers to add new products to the app.”
Source: http://bit.ly/1qlvUGM
Usage: Not specified
Weblink of reviewer: http://bit.ly/1qlvUGN

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Reviewer: Heart Foundation, New Zealand
Review: “Confused by the bewildering amount of information on food labels? The Tick is always here to help, but now you can have another tool in your arsenal: ‘FoodSwitch’. FoodSwitch is a fantastic new food app bought to New Zealand by the National Institute for Health Innovation at the University of Auckland. It helps you instantly choose healthier foods at the supermarket. Simple to use, all you need to do is scan the barcode, and the app will guide you to healthier food options. So, rather than having to try to decipher the information on the label yourself, the app can do it for you. Developed by a team of nutritionists, it’s a response to people’s frequent complaints that they don’t have the time to read food labels, or can’t decipher what all those numbers on the label mean.”
Source: http://bit.ly/1qlw80C
Usage: Not specified
Weblink of reviewer: http://bit.ly/1qlw9BI

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Reviewer: Diabetes Live, New Zealand
Review: “ ‘FoodSwitch’ is a new smartphone app that helps you make healthier food choices. FoodSwitch can help you find out what’s in the food you’re eating, so you can make simple switches to healthier options. With FoodSwitch, you can scan the barcode of packaged foods using your smartphone camera, and receive immediate, easy-to-understand nutritional advice, and a list of similar foods that are healthier choices.”
Source: http://bit.ly/1j9nTLm
Usage: Not specified
Weblink of reviewer: http://bit.ly/1j9nUig