GEM-RCN: Quality for your clients

What is the GEM-RCN? 

The GEM-RCN (Groupe d’Études des Marchés de Restauration Collective & de Nutrition, or Study Group of Mass Catering Markets and Nutrition) is a document which sets out the technical rules required for the public ordering of foodstuffs.

It sets nutritional targets to be achieved for each meal served. Its role is to guarantee the nutritional quality of meals served in the public sector.

History and birth of the GEM-RCN

Key dates:

2006: A study carried out by AFSSA showed that recommendations on the nutritional quality of menus offered in mass catering establishments were only partially applied. Obesity was shown to be on the rise in France.

2007: The GEM-RCN was created and new, adapted recommendations were published.

2010: The law of 27 July 2010 on the modernisation of agriculture included the GEM-RCN and made it mandatory.

The most recent version of the GEM-RCN dates back to July 2015.

What is its content?

The GEM-RCN recommends menu plans based on 20 meals.

To ensure that these recommendations are applied correctly, professionals are offered: A frequency table showing the nutritional quality of foodstuffs. It indicates the frequency with which each food should be served out of a total of 20 meals. For example, 8 out of 20 desserts must be fruit, and 50% of side dishes must be cooked vegetables.

A table recaps ready-to-serve weights according to age categories and nutritional requirements. (Children under 18 months, over 18 months, kindergarten, elementary school, teenagers/adults/seniors at home, seniors in nursing homes)

What nutritional objectives does the GEM-RCN aim to achieve?

This document sets out 5 essential objectives that all mass catering professionals should integrate and comply with.

These objectives are:

Increasing consumption of fruit, vegetables and starchy foods to boost vitamin intake.
Reducing fat intake and rebalancing fatty acid consumption.
Reducing consumption of added simple carbohydrates (foods rich in added sugar).
Increasing iron intake.
Increasing calcium intake.

What nutritional objectives does the GEM-RCN aim to achieve?

Parameters to take into account

Depending on the age group and population concerned, some objectives are more or less significant. However, regardless of the population category, the menu on any given day must be balanced and include: a protidic dish (with proteins exclusively of animal origin), a portion of raw or cooked vegetables and/or fruit and a source of calcium.

When ordering products, it is essential to ask the supplier for the relevant technical data sheets. These must include as a minimum: the list of ingredients, weight and nutritional values. And how easy is it for mass catering professionals to comply with the obligations imposed by the GEM-RCN? Do you encounter any recurring difficulties when putting together your menus?