19500 14 Mile Rd Apt A-10

Big Rapids, MI 49307

Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Dining Services Administration
Ferris State University The Rock Caf
Big Rapids, MI 49307
Dear Lori Helmer and the Dining Services Administration:
The attached report discusses the need for a separate gluten free dining station on campus and
I am presenting it to you because I know what its like to suffer from non-celiac gluten
sensitivity. Back in January of 2013, I developed a rash on the back of my hand out of nowhere
and I suffered for about a year as I tried to remove all sources of gluten from my diet. Once I
completely removed gluten, my hand slowly healed over the period of six months to a year.
With this in mind, I know that it is important that I do not eat gluten and I know that there are
others who suffer as well. Although The Rock Caf does offer gluten free options, it does not
offer very many options compared to the variety of choices for non-gluten free people. After
some research, it has been found that it is not only beneficial to gluten free persons to have a
separate station, but it would also benefit workers by driving down the risk of cross contamination between gluten-containing and gluten free foods.
It provides a solution to a few different problems, whether seemingly minor or major, such as:

The risk of cross-contamination when preparing foods with gluten in the same area as
those that do not contain gluten;
Improvement in student satisfaction by allowing gluten free students to come to one
area in the caf to obtain their food as opposed to several areas; and
It takes stress off of the food preparers because the ones working in the specific gluten
free area know what to expect, and the rest in the non-gluten free areas dont have to
worry so much about changing their gloves or getting clean utensils when a gluten free
student comes.

I hope that you find this recommendation helpful to the success of your caf and I thank you for
taking the time to look over it. Please let me know if you would like to discuss this issue in
person as I would love to meet with you.
Sincerely,

Lisa M. Raney
Current Student at Ferris State University
Attachment

GLUTEN FREE DINING

What It Is and Why We Need It

NOVEMBER 18, 2014

PREPARED BY LISA M. RANEY
Biology
Ferris State University

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary..........................................................................1
Introduction .....................................................................................3
Report...............................................................................................3
Issues with the Current Dining Setup ..............................................3
Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................4
Appendix I: Fact Sheet .....................................................................5
Bibliography .....................................................................................6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This executive summary highlights the main points of the attached report which includes the
importance of having a gluten free dining station in The Rock Caf and the negative effects of
having separate stations offering a few gluten free items at each. The purpose of this summary
is to provide the Director of Dining Services and the Dining Services Committee with an
overview of the problems with the current dining setup in the Rock Caf.
Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale, spelt, kamut, and on some oats.
Those with Celiac disease cannot consume it without damaging their small intestine. When
eaten, the body acts like the gluten is a foreign invader and attacks the small intestine, causing
small finger-like projections, called villi, to flatten out. These projections are important because
they increase the surface area of the small intestine allowing for the absorption of nutrients.
Currently the Rock Caf offers a marketplace style dining experience, with 14 different food
stations including the Breakfast Bar, Comfort Zone, Worlds Fare, Pizza, Island, Bakery, Woodys
Grill, Deli Bar, Soup/ Salad/ Sandwich, Pasta Saut, Wok Station, Yogurt and Fruit Bar, Healthy
Choice, and the Mongolian Grill. None of these is specifically gluten free, but instead some of
them offer gluten free options which include gluten free bread, sauce, or meals prepared
without gluten. As helpful as this is, it is not enough. People with Celiac Disease and gluten
intolerance need a separate station that offers all gluten free items.
This station would include wheat and gluten free alternatives ranging from the main course to
sides dishes, seasonings, sauces, and dessert, with utensils and workspaces that have not come
in contact with any gluten. This station could also offer salad, always a safe option for those
with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance, with gluten free dressings. It would also include a
separate microwave and toaster so that gluten free people can warm meals and toast gluten
free breads without worrying about any gluten coming in contact with their food. Those who
work in the Gluten Free Zone would have to wash their hands and put on new gloves each time
he or she leaves the area so that gluten is not carried from one area into the Gluten Free Zone.
All of these steps are important because people with Celiac Disease can have life-threatening
reactions at the worst, and intestinal damage at the least.
With this information in mind, having a Gluten Free Zone would have all gluten free options in
one place so that students and staff alike could relax a little when selecting or preparing food.
Students could walk into the Caf and know that they can go to one place and find many food
options that they can enjoy. Food preparers could rest easy knowing that they wont have to
change their gloves or utensils every time a student needs gluten free food because they will
already be working in an area that is free of gluten. This solution would obviously benefit more
than just the students who need gluten free. Plus this solution would lessen the risk of
students needing to go to the emergency room from coming in contact with or consuming
gluten.

INTRODUCTION
This report highlights the importance of having a gluten free dining station in The Rock Caf and
the negative effects of having separate stations offering a few gluten free items at each. The
purpose of this report is to provide the Director of Dining Services and the Dining Services
Committee with an assessment of the problems with the current dining setup in the Rock Caf.
Recommendations for solving the problem are presented for consideration.
An estimated 1 in 133 Americans, or about 1% of the population has Celiac Disease according to
www.celiaccentral.org. Which may not seem like a lot, but with 316.1 million people in
America, as according to the United States Census Bureau in 2013, thats 3,161,000 people!
This alone should tell us that Celiac Disease has become a big problem. If 1% of the population
on Ferriss campus has this disease that means that about 140 students could have it. Every
college student has enough to think about without worrying about what they are eating, and if
we want to help these students throughout their time on campus, they need to know that the
food served on campus is safe for them to eat.
The Rock Caf is set up with a Marketplace design, which includes fresh ingredients and madeto-order preparation. What this looks like is many different stations offering different types of
food from comfort food, to more healthy food. All stations and seating are included inside one
large dining area, and each station is tended to by student employees and faculty. These
different stations are nice because they offer many options to students each day. If you are
hungry for meat and potatoes, you can usually find a station offering something that fits into
this category. But if you want something lighter, such as soup and salad, there is always fresh
lettuce and toppings to make a salad, and there are usually two or three different soup options
offered each day.
Many college campuses have a similar dining layout to Ferris with different stations offering
different styles of food. One school is Liberty University located in Lynchburg, VA. This
university was recognized by Udis, a gluten free company, and was placed on the top-10 list of
most gluten-free friendly college campuses (www.liberty.edu). The article Operations,
Especially on College Campuses, add gluten free menu options, tells us that offering gluten free
options is one of the most common health accommodations. It also offers some ideas on
how to make the dining area safer for those with GF needs, while saving money by:

Providing separate toasters and microwaves

Cutting out gluten from traditional recipes when possible
Buying foods that are naturally gluten free such as fresh meat, vegetables, and fruit
Avoiding foods that are more expensive because they normally contain gluten but have
been prepared specifically with other ingredients to replace the gluten.

Issues with the Current Dining Setup

Currently students with GF needs must look up the Cafs menu online to find the list of
ingredients for each food offered. This can be very frustrating when someone is hungry and
simply wants to be able to think about what he or she wants more than whether they can eat it.
Some days are better than others depending on what is being made that day and what
ingredients are needed - sometimes a meal includes a breaded protein which would include
gluten, or seasoning which can have gluten in it as well.
Also, the workers in the dining area must worry about changing their gloves, getting clean
utensils, and cleaning work surfaces each time a student with gluten free needs requests food
at a station.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

I propose that the center station at The Rock Caf be turned into a safe area for people with
gluten free needs and be named The Gluten Free Zone. This area should include gluten free
proteins, pastas, pizza, salad, soups, and baked goods. Also, the work station should not come
in contact with gluten and those working in this area must have clean gloves that have not
come in contact with contaminated surfaces or foods. Included at the gluten free station
should be microwaves and toasters that have not come in contact with gluten-containing foods
and condiments and dressings that have also not come in contact with any type of glutencontaining food.
To reduce costs, the caf could take recipes that it already has and substitute gluten-free flours
or seasoning, or simply remove the gluten if it is not necessary. Also, taking advantage of the
fact that there is already a station that could be converted into a GF zone, this would save on
construction cost. Lastly, the foods that are already GF and offered at The Rock could be
transferred to this work station.

Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance Fact Sheet

What You Need to Know

1) What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is a chronic, or lifelong, disease that is passed along genetically. People with it
cannot consume gluten without the body acting like is a foreign invader. Gluten is the protein
found in wheat, barley, rye, and is also found in less commonly consumed grains such as spelt,
kamut, triticale, and any other type of wheat. When gluten is consumed by someone who has
Celiac disease the gluten is changed into something unrecognizable by the body and the
immune system attacks the villi small, finger-like projections - of the small intestine, causing
them to flatten out. These villi are needed for nutrient absorption. Without them, people with
Celiac disease can suffer from malabsorption causing many different problems such as:

Digestive problems such as abdominal bloating, pain, gas, diarrhea, pale stools, and
weight loss
A severe skin rash
Iron deficiency (low blood count)
Musculoskeletal problems (muscle cramps, joint and bone pain)

Sometimes people who have Celiac Disease do not have any symptoms so it is incredibly
important for them to avoid gluten because their bodies are getting damaged whether they
know it or not.

2) How do I know if I have Celiac Disease?

To be certain whether you have Celiac Disease, you have to have a blood test. However, if you
experience any of the above symptoms when eating foods containing gluten you may have
Celiac Disease but you may also have gluten intolerance, which has similar symptoms but
apparently no known permanent damage to the small intestine. People with gluten intolerance
may suffer from:

Bloating, gas and/or abdominal pain

Diarrhea or constipation
An itchy skin rash
Joint pain

If you experience any of these symptoms or the symptoms previously mentioned above, you
may want to be tested for Celiac Disease to prevent any further damage to the small intestine.

Works Cited
1) Liberty University News Service. (2014, August 8). Libertys dining service recognized for
gluten free options. Retrieved from
http://www.liberty.edu/news/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=124512
2) UWIRE Text. (2014). Students Request Healthier Campus Options, 1. Retrieved from
General OneFile Database.
3) FoodService Director. (2012). Operations, especially on college campuses, add glutenfree menu options, 14. Retrieved from General OneFile Database.