Is It Training Enough? Professional Competence in Catering Quality for University Food Canteen Employees

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between professional competence and the training provided for canteen staff in Chinese universities. This study's methods included a survey questionnaire, and importance-performance analysis (IPA) was used for analysis. The questionnaire distributed to canteen staff in Chinese universities considered eight dimensions and 39 questions to evaluate the relationship between the staff's professional competence (performance level) and the training provided (importance level). "Focus on consumers", "Employee hygiene knowledge", and "Food quality" indicated poor professional competence for employees and insufficient training from the canteen. Our findings improve these circumstances by providing recommendations for future training. The research results provide guidance for managing and training university canteen employees and recommendations for improving the quality of catering.

Nudging Toward Sustainable Food Consumption at University Canteens: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

This systematic literature review and meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of the nudging approach toward sustainable food consumption in the university canteen context.

METHODS

The systematic literature search was carried out in 5 databases, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and the Royal Library, identifying 14 eligible studies and selecting 9 articles containing adequate information for meta-analysis. The nudging strategies were classified using the typology of interventions in the proximal physical microenvironments framework that resulted in 5 different intervention types: availability, position, size, presentation, and information that belonged to either intervention class-altering properties or placement.

RESULTS

The study identified presentation, availability, and information as the most promising nudge intervention for achieving sustainable food consumption at the university canteen or similar settings. Nudging by altering the properties had a small effect size (d = 0.16), and nudging by altering placement showed a medium effect size (d = 0.21).

DISCUSSION

Nudging interventions implemented after understanding consumers' current behavior showed positive effectiveness toward sustainable food consumption rather than implementing random nudges.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

It is important that future studies aim to achieve sustainable food consumption by understanding canteen user food preferences and food choice motives before designing a nudging strategy.

Dietary Exposure to Acrylamide in Spanish University Canteens by the Duplicate Diet Method

During the university period, many students adopt new dietary patterns, sometimes including the excessive consumption of highly processed foods, which can expose them to process contaminants such as acrylamide. This research aimed to evaluate the dietary exposure to acrylamide of Spanish university students in their campus canteens using the duplicate diet method, and to estimate the associated health risks based on their food consumption habits. Apart from potato-based foods, the analysed food/meals contained non-detectable or low levels of acrylamide (<63 µg/kg). Two exposure scenarios were considered, depending on whether students selected salad (lowest exposure) or processed potatoes (highest exposure) as side dishes. The frequent consumption of processed potatoes could increase acrylamide intake from 6.5 to 26.4 µg/day. Due to their lower body weight, women had a higher risk of acrylamide exposure in both scenarios. The margin of exposure (MOE) values for neoplastic effects indicated high levels of health concern, even only considering the main meal of the day. Furthermore, the risk of acrylamide exposure could increase by more than four times depending on the side dish selected by the students. This research highlights the need to promote healthy dietary habits among young people, encouraging the selection of safer food options in terms of food processing contaminants.

Environmental intervention in a university canteen with focus on decision guidance: An evaluation study regarding food consumption, nutrient intake, perception, and satisfaction by canteen users

Background

An environmental intervention with focus on Decision Guidance was implemented in a university canteen. It comprised the offer of a health promoting food option (HPFO), including a health promoting lunch option and health promoting snacks.

Design and methods

Possible changes of food consumption and nutrient intake of student canteen users (substudy A), perception of the HPFO by canteen users (substudy B.1), and possible changes of their satisfaction regarding the canteen (substudy B.2) at least 10 weeks after the start of the intervention were examined. Substudy A used a controlled pretest-posttest-design (paired sample). The students were assigned to intervention group (canteen visits ≥ once/week, n = 27) or control group (canteen visits < once/week, n = 39). Substudy B.1 used a cross-sectional design, and substudy B.2 a pretest-posttest-design (paired sample). Only canteen users (≥once/week) were included (substudy B.1 n = 89, substudy B.2 n = 30).

Results

Food consumption and nutrient intake did not change (p > 0.05) in the intervention group versus control group (substudy A). In substudy B.1 canteen users were aware of the HPFO, appreciated it highly, and were satisfied with it. In substudy B.2 canteen users were at posttest more satisfied regarding service and health value of offered lunches (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Although the HPFO was positively percepted, no effects on the daily diet were observed. The offered proportion of the HPFO should be increased.

Environmental Intervention in a University Canteen with Focus on Decision Guidance-Effects on Sale and Daily Consumption of Vegetables and Fruit

The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether an environmental intervention in a university canteen changes the sale and daily consumption of vegetables and fruit among canteen users. The intervention focused on decision guidance, including a positive incentive and nudging. In a pretest−posttest-design, daily sales data of pieces (pcs) of vegetable components and fruit, as well as the sale per main component (pcs/mc), were assessed. Here, 20 opening days were analyzed, each after the intervention (t1) and in the same period of the previous year (t0). Vegetable and fruit consumption were assessed in a controlled pretest−posttest design (3-day-dietary-record, t0 and t1). The intervention group (IG; n = 46) visited the canteen ≥ once/week, and the control group (CG; n = 49) < once/week. At t1, the sale of absolute vegetable components did not change (t0: 132.3 ± 49.7 pcs, p > 0.05), but more per main component were sold at t1 (t0: 0.54 ± 0.09, Δ: 0.09 ± 0.13 pcs/mc, p < 0.05). In addition, the sale of fruit (t0: 17.4 ± 11.6, Δ: 8.3 ± 10.8 pcs, p < 0.05; t0: 0.07 ± 0.03, Δ: 0.05 ± 0.07 pcs/mc, p < 0.001) increased after the intervention. The total consumption of vegetables (IG, t0: 260 ± 170 g/d, CG, t0: 220 ± 156 g/d; p > 0.05) and fruit (IG, t0: 191 ± 109 g/d; CG, t0: 186 ± 141 g/d; p > 0.05), however, did not change. To effectively change daily consumption, the intervention needs to be expanded.