FUSION8 has options free of:
- Gluten - Dairy
- Treenuts - Peanuts
- Mustard - Sesame
- Shellfish - Eggs
The FUSION8 Story
Over the years, Hospitality & Ancillary Services have had more and more UTM community members come forward with dietary restrictions. Through allergen training, safe-handling food practices, improved signage, food labelling, and increased availability of nutritional information in each food service outlet, UTM food service is equipped to deal with a variety of dietary restrictions that are brought to their attention by customers.
One of the most prevalent and challenging dietary restrictions to manage in a food service environment is gluten sensitivity, whether it be an allergy to gluten, gluten intolerance, or Celiac disease. Many products contain gluten or "hidden gluten", including products that you would never think of, like some soy sauces and herbal teas, and many other products carry the disclosure that they "may contain gluten or wheat", like packaged nuts or lentils. Those who have sensitivity or intolerance to gluten know that, sometimes, it only takes an extremely small amount of gluten to make them sick.
Although there are many gluten-friendly menu items available at campus locations like Colman Commons and North Side Bistro, we wanted to have a food service outlet that offered a gluten-free menu everyday, providing those with gluten sensitivity a place where they can regularly eat with confidence.
Enter FUSION8: Asian fusion cuisine that you can customize yourself. Not only are the menu items certified gluten-free, all items are free of: Gluten, Dairy, Treenuts, Peanuts, Mustard, Sesame, Shellfish, and Eggs.
FUSION8 became certified gluten-free and certified Gluten-Free Dedicated by the Gluten-Free Food Program endorsed by the Canadian Celiac Association. GFFP conducts regular audits to ensure that the FUSION8 is maintained as gluten-free, and the outlet must be re-certified every year or when it undergoes any major renovation or menu change.
Some of the ways that FUSION8 is maintained as gluten-free are:
- All supplies and food items are delivered directly to the FUSION8 outlet and inspected upon arrival
- All FUSION8 staff are specifically designated for that location and will not work at any other outlets to eliminate any risk of cross-contamination
- FUSION8 has been cordoned off from the other outlets in the Davis Food Court, and any non-FUSION8 staff who enter the outlet must properly wash their hands and put on new apron and hairnet
- All food for FUSION8 is prepped, cooked, and stored in FUSION8
All food service equipment at FUSION8 is dedicated to preparing the FUSION8 menu:
- All FUSION8 smallwares and serving pans are washed in the dedicated dishwasher that has been installed in the outlet
- All FUSION8 items are served with utensils that are purple - the North American standard for allergen-designated serving-ware
- A fork will be provided for each customer from FUSION8 to ensure that the fork has not been cross-contaminated
We hope that you enjoy FUSION8! And just because it is gluten-free doesn't mean that it is flavour-free. By customizing your own meal, you are sure to find a flavour combination that is worth coming back for.
We would love to hear any feedback or questions that you may have regarding FUSION8. Please feel free to email us at hospitality.utm@utoronto.ca.
Press Articles about FUSION8 (previously fusion 5):
The UTM Main Page
The Celiac Scene