Abstract:

Although the importance of Social Responsibility (SR) has grown in recent years, it still needs to be adequately developed in University Degrees and Masters, behoving us all to promote this competence. Our research group, GLUTEN3S, works in the detection of gluten in foods and the assessment of nutritional status and dietary balance of celiac population. Moreover, given that research professionals have an important label in SR, we also opened a working line dedicated to Nutritional Education. This line aims to increase the knowledge of the disorder, as well as of the balanced and sustainable feeding of celiac people, not letting apart the general society.

With the objective of improving SR competence, students developing their Final Master Dissertation joined our group to design and implement training workshops for professionals who have a pivotal role on gluten-free diet, which are the students and professionals from hotel and catering trade and services. Students offered a theoretical-practical activity about gluten-free (GF) cooking. First, some theoretical concepts were introduced, such as gluten, which food groups contain it, celiac disease, its symptomatology and secure and balanced gluten free diet (GFD). Then, catering students were asked to adapt their cooking protocols to develop a balanced gluten-free recipe, bringing theory to practice by preparing some gluten-free crepes. This activity focussed on best practices to avoid cross contamination in the kitchen to guarantee a secure gluten free kitchen and cooking. Moreover, in order to promote the idea of balanced diet, the crepes contained GF natural pseudocereals, legumes, fruit and vegetables. After tasting the recipe, the workshop finished with a participative discussion about the challenge of GF catering and the responsibility of this sector on celiac people day-to-day.

The activity ended up to be successful improving skills of knowledge in celiac disease and GFD. Achieving the skills to avoid cross contamination resulted to be the most difficult part for students of hotel and catering trade. All students reflected on their responsibility in the management of this nutritional condition, subtly developing inclusivity and empathy competences.

Therefore, we can conclude that these workshops should be extended to other hotel and catering trade students. We are sure that enhancing knowledge about celiac disease and GFD, providing guidelines for best GF kitchen practices and promotion of the inclusion of celiac people would substantially improve their quality of life.

Likewise, it is important to emphasize that students co-working, from the University to the Catering trade, embraces the competence of SR.

Keywords:

Social responsibility, nutritional education, gluten, gluten-free cooking, gluten-free diet, students.