FAQ

We buy our food mainly from suppliers in the region. These are certified retailers with whom we have been working for many years and who undergo continuous checks.

Freshness and quality
We always pay attention to freshness and quality when selecting our food. In most cases, we buy our products fresh from local traders.

During lunchtime, our dishes are freshly and demand-oriented produced in the kitchen by our employees. We try to avoid convenience products almost completely.

In addition to the generally customary annual inspections carried out by the municipal food inspection authority, an external company - TÜV SÜD Food Safety Institute GmbH - is commissioned to carry out unannounced audits several times a year in order to ensure that standards are attained.

The results are consistently in the "very good" range.

The unannounced tests relate to the so-called HACCP concept (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points concept). These are personnel, environment, equipment and product hygiene as well as microbiological tests.

Sustainability has been an issue for us for many years. We prefer to buy fresh food from the region and process seasonal, organic and fair trade products in our canteens.

In addition, we implemented the following measures, among others:

• Recycling of food waste, oils and fats by specialist companies
• Waste avoidance through recycling and the use of large containers and returnable bottles
• Recyclable cups, dishes and cutlery made from compostable raw materials
• No use of genetically modified products and flavour enhancers
• Reduced use of palm fat
• Training of personnel in the handling of foodstuffs
• Modern and contemporary kitchen technology
• Customer training on vegetarian and vegan meals

The portions we serve are based on the guidelines of the German Association for Nutrition (DGE) for adults.

Our individual canteen teams make every effort to make the menus as varied as possible. An eight-week menu plan is created for sustainable planning.

The composition of our dishes is based on the guidelines of the German Association for Nutrition (DGE). These include, for example, a balanced diet based on a wide variety of foods and suitable combinations of nutrient-rich and low-energy foods.

We regularly evaluate the sales figures of our meals in order to be able to respond optimally to the wishes and needs of our guests.

Unfortunately, we do not have the necessary personnel to empty the boxes regularly. We are therefore dependent on your help to ensure that you place your tray on the return conveyor yourself. The cutlery must be taken from the plates and from the bowls and food leftovers and other rubbish must be disposed of in the rubbish bins set up there.

The tray boxes are only intended for emergencies in which the dish tape does not work.

Open foods that were once in the food counter may no longer be returned to the guest for food law reasons.

Therefore we try to calculate the quantities already in the purchase and in the calculation in such a way that as little as possible food remainders remain.

Our food is collected by a food disposal company, which recycles it, e.g. for biogas facilities.

Yes, we label allergens and additives in our canteens. You can find the labelling updated daily on the monitors of the expenditure areas and/or via posters. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our in-house ecotrophologist.

You can find further information on labelling here.

We have been commissioned by the state of NRW to supply students with meals. We therefore receive subsidies for this group of people in order to be able to offer meals at student-friendly prices. The prices are below the production costs.

Our cafeterias are not subsidized.

For other groups of people ( employees and guests) we also do not receive any subsidies and have to quote a different price in order to cover our costs.

Yes, before and after lunch you can use our canteen, Campus Essen and the dining hall, Campus Duisburg as "learning areas" during the semester.

For the display of information and flyers in our canteens, you must obtain permission in advance. Otherwise your materials will be disposed of immediately. We are happy to support student initiatives in their public relations work free of charge. Companies can display materials for a fee after they have passed the required examination.

For more information click here.

We buy our food mainly from suppliers in the region. These are certified retailers with whom we have been working for many years and who undergo continuous checks.

Freshness and quality
We always pay attention to freshness and quality when selecting our food. In most cases, we buy our products fresh from local traders.

Snacks such as rolls, sandwiches and smoothies are produced daily by our staff fresh in every facility.

We attach great importance to fair trade and socially responsible food production. That is why we only offer coffee and tea products in organic and fair trade quality in our cafeterias.

In order to reduce the consumption of paper cups on campus, we work with a cup deposit system. Our guests can get a returnable cup for 1 € deposit in our cafeterias at the cash desk, use it as often as they like or return it.

In addition, we implement the following measures:

• Recycling of food waste, oils and fats by specialist companies
• Waste avoidance through recycling and the use of large containers and returnable bottles
• No use of genetically modified products and flavour enhancers
• Training of personnel in the handling of foodstuffs
• Modern and contemporary kitchen technology

Yes, in our cafeterias we label allergens and additives. On the one hand there are files with the corresponding information on food labelling, on the other hand you will find mobile information terminals in some locations.

If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact our in-house ecotrophologist.

You can find further information on labelling here.

In contrast to our canteens, our cafeterias are not subsidised by the state of NRW. Cost-covering financing is provided by the sales generated in the company.

For the display of information and flyers in our canteens, you must obtain permission in advance. Otherwise your materials will be disposed of immediately. We are happy to support student initiatives in their public relations work free of charge. Companies can display materials for a fee after they have passed the required examination.

For more information click here.

We label the following 14 substances, which can cause allergies and incompatibilities according to the valid food information regulation:

• a contains gluten*
• b contains crustaceans
• c contains eggs
• d contains fish
• e contains peanuts
• f contains soya beans
• g contains milk
• h Contains nuts*
• i contains celery
• j contains mustard
• k contains sesame seeds
• l contains sulphur dioxide
• m contains lupines
• n contains molluscs

* The respective gluten-containing cereals and nuts are named in the menus and notices.

Additives used in accordance with the regulation on the authorisation of additives in foodstuffs:

• 1 with dye for foods
• 2 with preservative
• 3 with antioxidant
• 4 with flavour enhancer
• 5 sulphurated
• 6 blackened
• 7 waxed
• 8 with phosphate
• 9 with sweetener
• 10 contains a source of phenylalanine
• 11 mechanically separated meat

According to the Food Information Ordinance, the fourteen allergens that must be declared can only be named if they are added directly to a food as an ingredient according to the recipe. Traces, i.e. unintentional contamination of a food with these allergens, are not labelled.

If a dish contains alcohol, is vegetarian or vegan or has been prepared with food from certified organic farms, this is also indicated daily on the display areas on monitors and/or notices. You can also use icons to tell whether a dish has been prepared with fish, poultry, lamb, beef or pork.

All products that reach the canteen via purchasing and receiving must be properly declared by the manufacturer. This declaration is incorporated into internal documentation systems and enables a correct declaration of the food recipes. These recipes are strictly adhered to during food production.

In addition, all kitchen staff are trained to ensure that cross-contamination is prevented through compliance with hygiene regulations and targeted organisation in the kitchen operation.

Please note: Since manufacturers rarely produce only one product, it can never be completely ruled out that the products contain proportions of ingredients that are not listed. For this reason, allergy sufferers must note that the food on offer may contain other allergenic ingredients in addition to those marked. The Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg therefore excludes any liability for non-prescription components of the food.

The guests of our canteens find the daily updated allergen labels at each output area on monitors and/or notices. In the cafeterias there are folders with the corresponding information or these are available via digital information terminals. If you have any questions, you can contact the responsible management on site.