For students with dietary restrictions, West Union presents new opportunities but also new challenges.
The venue—which officially opened on August 29—includes 12 new eateries serving a variety of foods, including crepes, paella, sushi and Indian cuisine. For students who follow vegan or vegetarian diets, the venues offer a variety of new and interesting options. However, some students with allergies and intolerances have found it difficult to eat in West Union. Dayla Bonds—customer service coordinator for Duke Dining—told The Chronicle in January that Duke Dining was looking to expand its ethnic, vegetarian/vegan and allergy-friendly choices with the opening of West Union.
Senior Hayley Farless, who cannot come in contact with gluten because she has celiac disease, said that she is still struggling to find eating options on campus.
“I haven't eaten at West Union yet because none of it appears to be safe enough for me,” Farless wrote in an email.
Farless noted that there are many options that do not contain wheat, but none of them are safe from cross-contamination.
Toni Apadula, a dietitian clinician for Duke Nutrition Services, wrote in an email that cross-contact is always a possibility because Duke does not maintain an allergen-free kitchen. However, Apadula also noted that vendors and servers are required to take "Aller-Train" Food Service Certification, a food allergy course designed to train food handlers in safe practices, and "ServSafe" Food Safety Certification, a food and beverage safety training and certificate program administered by the National Restaurant Association.
“We believe the variety of food venues in West Union allows for students with food allergens to enjoy meals without feeling overly limited,” Apadula wrote.
Apadula also explained that allergen information is available for the Food and Drug Administration's major eight food allergens—milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybean—in hard copy at each vendor location. She said that this information will be made available online shortly.
Junior Melissa Carrico has a peanut allergy so strong that, during her freshman year, she had an allergic reaction after touching a light switch that had previously been touched by a student who had been in contact with nuts. Carrico said that she was able to eat at The Commons—the high-end venue on West Union's top floor—but noted that her experience was limited by her allergy.
"When I told my server that I had a severe peanut allergy and wanted to know if I could eat the bread, she seemed nervous and unprepared to answer the questions," Carrico wrote in an email. "The chef came out shortly after that and went through the menu with me. He said that they did not use peanut oil in the kitchen; however, like so many Duke Dining options, he said that they couldn't guarantee certain items were safe for me to eat."
Apadula suggested that students with allergy concerns speak to individual vendors. However, Carrico noted that West Union is often crowded, and thus she does not feel comfortable asking staff about her allergy concerns.
Farless said that she plans to speak with the dining staff in the future.
“I'm hoping to talk with some of the venue managers in the upcoming weeks to see if there might be at least one safe option for me in West Union,” Farless wrote. “I love the new space, but it's a bit of a let down to not get to partake in any of the excitement over the all the new food choices.”
Apadula also noted that students could meet with a campus nutritionist to discuss specific concerns and possible options.
“We would like our students to feel safe and happy with their dining options and would like to know when things are going well and how we can help if they are not going well,” Apadula wrote.
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