Towards More Sustainable University Catering

According to research conducted in the United Kingdom, over 80% of students agree that Sustainable Development should be actively incorporated and promoted by Universities. As reported in the Sustainable Restaurant Association newsletter, the newly launched University Catering Rating system will "help raise dining standards across UK universities, as well as make good business sense."

To receive their rating, universities simply complete our online survey, providing answers and evidence to questions across 14 areas of sustainability, such as the sourcing of their food (including all brought-in sandwiches from outside sources), soft drinks, flour and palm oil; as well as their energy, water usage and waste system efficiency in their canteens, cafés and restaurants. The survey also includes an assessment of their employee policies and community engagement. The SRA then assesses the results and rates the university accordingly, providing a detailed report which highlights all the commendable actions and makes recommendations for future improvement.

Read more here: http://www.thesra.org/university-catering-rating/

Composting at Your Restaurant

If you’ve always wanted to start a composting program at your restaurant, this article is sure to inspire you. Patrick Cuccaro, general manager of Affairs to Remember Catering, Atlanta, and Christy Cook (right), senior manager sustainability field support, Sodexo Company, offer ten tips to get the ball rolling at your establishment.

http://www.restaurant.org/Manage-My-Restaurant/Operations/Back-of-House/10-tips-to-compost-at-your-restaurant?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=conserve

“Turning organic waste from leftovers can help divert waste from landfills and return nutrients to the soil, by nourishing growing plants!” so get started today!

Top Ten Most Dangerous Food-borne Parasites

The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have just jointly released a list of "Top Ten" food-borne parasites of greatest global concern for humans. Despite their huge social costs and global impacts, scientists don't fully understand yet just exactly where they come from, how they live in the human body, and - most importantly - how they make us sick. The parasites affect the health of millions of people around the world and new strategies are being devised to control them. 

  
The top ten are:

1. Taenia solium (pork tapeworm): In pork
2. Echinococcus granulosus (hydatid worm or dog tapeworm): In fresh produce
3. Echinococcus multilocularis (a type of tapeworm): In fresh produce
4. Toxoplasma gondii (protozoa): In meat from small ruminants, pork, beef, game meat (red meat and organs)
5. Cryptosporidium spp.(protozoa): In fresh produce, fruit juice, milk
6. Entamoeba histolytica (protozoa): In fresh produce
7. Trichinella spiralis (pork worm): In pork
8. Opisthorchiidae (family of flatworms): In freshwater fish
9. Ascaris spp. (small intestinal roundworms): In fresh produce
10. Trypanosoma cruzi (protozoa): In fruit juices

From an initial list of 93 parasites, the above list was narrowed down to the top ten most damaging parasites based on the following four criteria: 1) number of global illnesses; 2) global distribution; 3) acute [immediate illness] morbidity; 4) chronic [long-term illness] morbidity; and 5) economic impact. Further information can be found in a joint FAO-WHO report: Multicriteria-based ranking for risk management of food-borne parasites, which can be browsed online.