We want to be as transparent as possible, which is why we use various symbols and labels on our menus. The ingredient information is based on information we receive from manufacturers and suppliers.
According to the Food Information Ordinance, they are not obliged to state all sources, e.g. the origin of gelatine is not always stated. In addition, we may not be able to avoid so-called cross-contamination, i.e. when preparing the meals, ingredients labelled by us can unintentionally get into the dishes and leave traces in the food. We use these symbols as a service to you, to ensure the greatest possible transparency.
Menu symbols
Beef
Label for dishes containing beef and beef products. Beef gelatine (e.g. in desserts and cakes) can unfortunately not be labelled, as we are not always provided with adequate information regarding sources.
Pork
Label for dishes containing pork or pork products, e.g. shortening. Pork gelatine (e.g. in desserts and cakes) can unfortunately not be labelled, as we are not always provided with adequate information.
Poultry
Label for dishes containing poultry and poultry products.
Venison
Label for dishes containing venison and venison products.
The hallmark for meals which are specially prepared to be rich in vitamins and low in fat – with natural ingredients and no flavour enhancers.
Alcohol
Label for dishes containing alcohol. Desserts and cakes made by the Student Union generally contain no alcohol.
Lamb
Label for dishes containing lamb and lamb products.
Fish
Label for dishes containing seafood, such as fish, shellfish, mussels and their products.
does not contain any foodstuffs that contain lactose
Label for dishes not containing any lactose.
As a service to you, we have a two-pronged approach to labelling lactose. On the one hand, lactose-free foods are labelled with the symbol of the crossed-out milk can so customers with lactose intolerances can see which dishes to avoid from the first glance. On the other, the ingredient lactose is also labelled with the number 20 on our menus.
A small quantity of lactose is contained in many products as a technical aid.
“Klimateller”
Indicating climate-friendly meals. These dishes do not contain any components whose production process causes high greenhouse gas emissions.
Vegetarian
Attributes of vegetarian dishes (ovo-lacto vegetarian dishes)
- No meat
- No fish (including seafood)
- No other animal products (gelatine, stored fat, meat broth)
Dairy products (cheese, yoghurt, butter, cream) and eggs/egg components are considered suitable for vegetarians, and can thus be included in the vegetarian dishes.
Vegan
Attributes of vegan dishes. Since June 2012, we have been offering vegan dishes every Wednesday at one of the three cafeterias – Campus cafeteria, Philosophenturm cafeteria or Studierendenhaus cafeteria. The vegan symbol represents a dish made purely from plant-based ingredients. It contains no animal products. In addition to the aforementioned attributes for vegetarian dishes, a vegan dish also contains:
- No milk or dairy products (butter, cheese, cream, curd cheese)
- No eggs or egg components
- No honey or beeswax
- No additional animal materials have been used to produce the food (e.g. gelatine for clarification)
New dish
Indicating a new dish offered by the cafeteria.
New recipe
Indicating a new recipe for a familiar dish.
Additives and allergens requiring labelling
The additives and main triggers of allergies and food intolerances requiring labelling are marked numerically.
Here is a list of additives requiring labelling, and their respective labels:
1 Colours
2 Preservatives
3 Antioxidants
4 Flavouring agents
5 Sulphurated
6 Blackened
7 Wax-coated
8 Phosphate
9 Sweeteners
10 Phenylalanine source
Ei Egg and egg products
En Peanuts and peanut products
Fi Fish and fish products
Gl Grain and grain products containing gluten (e.g. wheat, rye, barley etc.)
Kr Shellfish and shellfish products
La Milk and milk products (incl. lactose)
Lu Lupine and lupine products
Nu Nuts (e.g. almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts etc.) /Nuts products
Se Sesame seeds and sesame seed products
Sf Mustard and mustard products
Sl Celery and celery products
So Soy and soy products
Sw Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (concentration over 10mg/kg or 10mg/l)
Wt Molluscs (e.g. mussels and edible snails)/Molluscs products
The list of allergens is not exhaustive. The information on the menus and signs regarding the food allergens contained in the dishes is not exhaustive, and no guarantee is made for its accuracy. We cannot discount the possibility of cross-contamination among individual ingredients, or technologically unavoidable contamination of individual products.
The university dining facilities use products containing additives for various reasons. At our cafeterias, we cook up to 20,000 meals a day. Due to the high production quantities, we cannot always avoid using products containing additives.
Food additives have a negative image. People are wanting pure and natural now more than ever before. However, additives are essential for our products. They have been used since time immemorial, and have become increasingly necessary due to the progressive mechanisation of production processes. Food additives are used to achieve a certain, usually technological effect:
- To prolong shelf life.
- To improve sensory properties and consistency.
- To facilitate production.
- To ensure consistent quality.
They may only be used if they pose no threat to health, do not deceive consumers, and are technologically necessary.
Our aim is to use as few products with additives as possible. When selecting new items, we give preference to products without labels.
