Keeping students safe is at the center of the food allergy and intolerance policy program at RIT. For the safety of our customers, RIT Dining has many tools in place to alert customers of food allergens.
Our Policy
In order to keep student safety a top priority, we strive to do the following:
- We train all of our full-time staff in handling food allergies and gluten-free diets
- Our staff is trained to use separate utensils while preparing a meal where there is a known allergy to ensure there is an little cross contact as possible
- Our staff will communicate the cooking and preparation process to the customer to make sure they are getting a meal that is safe from their allergen
- We encourage our students to meet with RIT Dining's Registered Dietitian to develop a plan for safe eating on campus
- Establish a one-on-one relationship between the student and key RIT Dining staff members
- Provide, to the best of our ability, the ingredient and nutrition information on our website through NetNutrition
- If specific accomodations are needed related to an allergy or other food-related disability, students should submit an application for accommodation with the Disability Services Office. More information is here
Guest Responsibilities
In order for RIT Dining to provide students who self-identify with specific dietary needs, it is crucial for these students to do the following:
- Students need to verbalize their allergy when ordering from a dining location. This will alert the server to get an allergy-trained staff memeber
- Those looking to navigate our facilities that are interested in specific dietary offerings (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free) can reach out to Marisa Bellanca, MS, RD (mlbfsd@rit.edu)
- Visit the NetNutrition website or app to become familiar with finding safe foods on campus
- When in doubt, avoid a food you are unsure of or ask the dining manager for more information
- Familiarize yourself with our Allergy Disclaimer and Nutrition Labeling system which can help you identify foods with gluten and the Big 9 food allergens
- Request accommodations from the Disability Services Office (DSO) if you need them. DSO's accommodation request process is outlined here
Allergy Disclaimer
RIT Dining makes every attempt to identify ingredients that may cause allergic reactions for those with food allergies. Every effort is made to instruct our food production staff on the severity of food allergies. There is also a possibility that manufacturers of commercial foods could change the formulation or substitute at any time, without our knowledge. It is also possible that foods we purchase could be processed in a plant or on equipment that processes food allergens. Customers concerned with food allergies need to be aware of this risk. Please notify the manager or supervisor of any dining operation for assistance. Students with food allergies are encouraged to contact our Registered Dietitian, Marisa Bellanca for additional information at mlbfsd@rit.edu.