The awareness event titled “Share Awareness, Not Gluten!”, organized in collaboration with Istanbul Gelisim University’s Department of Public Relations and Advertising and the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, was held on May 22, 2025, in two sessions. Aiming to raise awareness about celiac disease, the event attracted great interest from participants with its theoretical and practical content.
The first session began with a seminar program held at G Block Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar Conference Hall. Speakers included Elif Bal, Volkan Telli, and Neslihan Soruklu. Participants were informed about the definition of celiac disease, diagnostic processes, challenges encountered in daily life, and scientific information regarding dietary arrangements. The talks particularly emphasized the importance of early diagnosis, the necessity of reading food labels accurately, and strengthening public awareness.
The event was attended by Head of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Asst. Prof. Nevruz Berna Tatlısu, and Head of the Department of Public Relations and Advertising, Assoc. Prof. Emel Tozlu Öztay, as academic supporters. The department heads stated that such interdisciplinary events significantly contribute to university students’ social responsibility and societal awareness development.
The second part of the event continued at 14:00 with a practical workshop held in the Nutrition Laboratory located in B Block of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. In this workshop conducted with participating students, gluten-free recipes suitable for daily consumption by celiac patients were prepared practically. The recipes included basil sherbet, gluten-free quinoa salad, and gluten-free oat diet cookies. During the workshop, special emphasis was placed on the importance of reading labels, as the raw materials used should not contain even trace amounts of gluten.
The practical session was coordinated by kitchen supervisor Chef Didar Başgöze. Students were guided on food safety, prevention of cross-contamination, and hygiene rules to be followed during production. Through this workshop, participants gained not only theoretical knowledge but also practical experience regarding production conditions for celiac sensitivity.
The event was planned in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being. Aiming to increase students’ sensitivity to health-based issues, develop empathy, and create social awareness, this meaningful organization acknowledged the participation and voluntary support of students from both departments.
The “Share Awareness, Not Gluten!” event was successfully completed as part of Istanbul Gelisim University’s educational vision supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and leading societal benefit-focused projects. Appreciation was expressed to the faculty members who took part in organizing the event: Head of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Asst. Prof. Nevruz Berna Tatlısu; Research Assistant Gizem Hülağa Kaderoğlu; Research Assistant Berna Tellioğlu; Research Assistant Cem Keskin; and Chef Didar Başgöze.