Nutrition and sustainability

The ten rules of the German Nutrition Society (DGE)

For your healthy diet outside our dining halls and cafeterias, the Studierendenwerk would like to refer you to the ten rules of the German Nutrition Society and the food pyramid. We would like to provide you with some recommendations and tips for your personal diet.

1. Eat a variety of food.
2. Choose wholemeal
3. Vegetables and fruits - Have " Five a day”.
4. Milk and dairy produce daily
5. Less fat and high-fat foods
6. Add sugar and salt moderately.
7. Drink plentifully.
8. Prepare tasty and gently.
9. Take your time, enjoy your food.
10. Watch your weight and keep moving.

Source: www.dge.de

HACCP Konzept (Hygiene concept)

Compliance with hygiene standards and the labelling of dishes and food have become a matter of course at Studierendenwerk Thüringen.

HACCP is the abbreviation for "Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points" and refers to all stages of food preparation, processing, production, packaging, storage, transport, distribution, treatment, and sale. This concept is the basis of the daily work in the dining halls and cafeterias.
The Studierendenwerk Thüringen controls:

• Goods receiving temperatures (daily)
• Quality of goods on delivery, packaging (daily)
• Cold storage temperatures (daily)
• Food temperatures during production and serving (daily)
• Food cooling temperatures (daily)
• Dishwasher temperatures (daily)
• Quality of frying fat/oil
• Cleaning and disinfection efficiency (daily)
• Taking of reserve samples of all dishes (daily)
• Pest prophylaxis (every three months)
• Drinking water analysis (once a year)
• Microbiological examination of food samples (twice a year)
• Swab samples of the surfaces (twice a year)
• Dishwasher check (twice a year)
• Checking the dishes (twice a year)

Sustainability

Fair-trade products

Fair trade ensures that the teams of producers in the countries of origin of the products are paid appropriately for their work. The prices are higher than the world market prices, and price fluctuations are compensated. In addition, the affiliated trade organizations provide social development aid with projects in the regions often including the construction and operation of schools, decent housing, and basic health care.

Studierendenwerk Thüringen regards these efforts as measures to promote the sustainable production of food - especially in the fields of coffee, tea, and cocoa. As of 01 January 2009, for this reason, only fair-trade coffee beans have been available in all dining halls and cafeterias of the Studierendenwerk Thüringen. Tea, hot drinks containing cocoa and bar products from sustainable production are also available everywhere. The Studierendenwerk Thüringen is also endeavouring to include other fair-trade products in its range soon.

Related links:
www.transfair.org
www.gepa.de

WWF Fish Guide and MSC Criteria

The Studierendenwerk Thüringen follows the recommendations of the WWF in the production of meals containing fish. As of December 2009, the fish species considered critical by the WWF have no longer been purchased.

The Studierendenwerk Thüringen procures MSC-certified fish. An own certification procedure is not carried out due to the high costs and the considerable effort, so that no use of the MSC seal may be made.

Related links:
www.msc.org
www.wwf.de/fisch

Organic food

The following cafeterias are bio-certified and offer food with organic components:

• Mensa Carl-Zeiss-Promenade, Jena
• Mensa Ernst-Abbe-Platz, Jena
• Mensa Philosophenweg, Jena
• Mensa Nordhäuser Straße, Erfurt
• Mensa Altonaer Straße, Erfurt
• Mensa am Park, Weimar
• Mensa Ehrenberg, Ilmenau
• Mensa Weinberghof, Nordhausen
• Mensa Blechhammer, Schmalkalden

Please inform yourself about these offers in the current menu.

A total of about 170 different organic products such as fruit, vegetables, pasta, and meat are purchased. There are also various organic desserts and bars on offer in the dining halls and cafeterias. Coffee, tea, and cocoa are also offered in bio-quality. The organic products are labelled with the organic seal and are subject to the strictest controls. The commissioned organic inspection authority controls all stages of production of the food on its way to the dining halls and cafeterias. ensuring a high level of transparency for the guests. In order not to jeopardize the sustainable character of the production of organic food, the Studierendenwerk also strives for a regional component in procurement.

Related links:
www.bio-siegel.de
www.gruenstempel.de

GMO - Genetically Modified Organisms

In accordance with the EU Regulations 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed and 1930/2003 on the traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and the traceability of food and feed produced from genetically modified organisms, no products subject to the corresponding labelling requirements are used in the dining halls and cafeterias.

Sustainable materials (packaging, cutlery)

In 2016, Studierendenwerk Thüringen began to reduce the use of petroleum-based materials in its sales. Some products were removed from the range and replaced by more environmentally friendly alternatives. The following sustainable materials can currently be found in the dining halls and cafeterias:

Disposable salad bowls made of polylactic acid at the salad counter
As of 01 March 2019, only sustainable takeaway containers that are biodegradable and compostable have been available at all salad counters in the dining halls and cafeterias. The disposable bowls made of the bioplastic PLA (polylactic acid) have a smaller CO2 footprint in their life cycle compared to conventional products due to their production based on renewable raw materials (corn starch and lactic acid).

Disposable cutlery made of FSC wood and modified polylactic acid
Disposable cutlery made of FSC wood or CPLA can be purchased in the dining halls and cafeterias. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council and the products are certified with the FSC seal because the wood has been obtained by sustainable forestry. The bioplastic CPLA is a modified PLA (polylactic acid) and consists of 100 percent renewable raw materials.

Disposable mugs
To ensure that guests can continue to enjoy their coffee with a clear conscience and sustainable awareness, there are several sustainable options for coffee-to-go in the dining halls and cafeterias. Not only cups made of paper (from sustainable forestry with PEFC standard (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes)) and matching lids (made of sustainable CPLA plastic) are available. You can also bring your own thermo mug, use porcelain cups on site or buy the Treecup mugs made of lignin as well as thermo mugs from Kahla Porzellan GmbH.

Bamboo stirrers
Bamboo is a fast-growing raw material that is completely ecologically degradable. In the procurement of the stirrers, we ensure that the wood is obtained from sustainable forestry.

Sugar cane based roll bags
Rolls in all dining halls and cafeterias are now only available in bags made from bio-based plastic from sugar cane, which means they are made from renewable raw materials.

Take-away boxes from sugar cane bagasse
The take-away boxes, which are used to pack and transport hot meals, are made from sugar cane bagasse and are, therefore, also sustainable packaging in the cafeterias. Bagasse is obtained as a by-product of conventional sugar production. It is the fibrous residue of the sugar cane that remains after the juice has been extracted. The bagasse is ground, and the cellulose pulp obtained is then pressed into shape.

Dessert bowls and cups with lid made from recycled PET
The products are made of 80 percent recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate). According to manufacturing data, the carbon footprint of this plastic is generally 50 percent lower than that of new plastics.