No more crisps and cola: Murcia hospital starts clearing junk food from vending machines
Arrixaca Hospital takes the lead in a health-first move to swap out fatty snacks for fruit and cereal bars
Murcia’s biggest hospital is giving its vending machines a major health makeover, with sugary drinks and fatty snacks being removed to make way for fruit, salads and cereal bars.The Virgen de la Arrixaca Hospital in El Palmar is the first in the region to bring in the long-awaited changes, as part of a new seven-year contract for managing its food and drink services. The Murcia Health Service (SMS) had announced plans back in 2017 to cut back on unhealthy options in hospitals, but until now, nothing had actually been enforced.
Under the new contract, fried snacks, chocolate-filled pastries and sugar-loaded biscuits are being ditched in favour of healthier choices like low-fat cheese, bottled water, sugar-free drinks and wholegrain sandwiches. All items must now meet strict nutritional guidelines, including a maximum of 200 kilocalories per portion and limits on salt, fat and sugar.
"All products offered in the vending machines must meet the indicated nutritional recommendations so that healthy eating is promoted in the hospital environment," the hospital stated in the contract documents.
As well as serving patients and visitors, the vending machines are part of a wider agreement that includes the public cafeterias and the on-call staff dining room. The total budget for the new deal is €4.73 million, significantly less than the previous 15-year contract.
Currently, there are 58 vending machines in operation throughout the hospital and its facilities, including machines for hot drinks, cold drinks, snacks and bottled water. These will all be replaced under the new scheme.
Importantly, the new product list must also cater for people with dietary requirements. That means lactose-free dairy items and gluten-free cereals will now be included.
Another notable addition to the contract is a commitment to serve organic food for one week every month in the staff dining room. During this time, all fruit, veg, legumes, flour, oils, sugar, tea and coffee must be organically sourced. Any company failing to meet this requirement could face penalties.
The hospital’s Nutrition Unit will supervise food preparation, while the successful bidder will be responsible for day-to-day operations. According to the Health Department, the aim is to roll out the initiative across all public hospitals in the Region of Murcia in the near future.
It’s part of a wider push to lead by example and make sure health centres are promoting exactly what they stand for - better health.
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Address
C/Regidor Cayetano Gago S/N 30100 Espinardo Murcia ESPANA Tel: (+34)968 368 200
Terra Natura Murcia, wildlife and adventure water park in the outskirts of the city of Murcia
Terra Natura Murcia is one of the most important and spectacular animal and nature parks in western Spain, and is one of a new generation of wildlife parks in which visitors can discover the concept of what's called "Zooinmersión."
The aim of this is recreate a habitat which gives an experience of being at one with the wildlife viewed in the park, so to this end more than 500 examples of 50 species of vegetation have been interplanted among the animal habitats, spread across an area occupying more than 165,000 square metres.
The planting has matured to create a comfortable and interesting environment which enhances the interaction between visitors and animals.
The planting not only softens the landscape, but also enables visitors to be closer to the animals and have direct human contact rather than the traditional forms of wildlife park where the animals are at a distance behind physical barriers.
The park contains over 500 animals belonging to 50 different species (some of which are in grave danger of extinction), alongside giraffes, lions, hippopotamus, lemurs, brown bears, Iberian lynx, Oryx, Iberian wolves and a White African Rhinoceros.
Throughout the year, Terra Natura Murcia offers different educational talks during visits to their facilities: giraffes, brown bears and otters.
One of the most popular areas is the falconry zone, where the displays enable visitors to discover the beauty of a great variety of birds such as the majestic flight of the peregrine falcon, which reaches diving speeds of over 300 km an hour, the eagle owl, various types of hawk, the griffon vulture and the buzzard eagle. One of the main aims of the park is to encourage contact and engage in interaction between animals and humans, and the falconry is a popular means of achieving this goal.
Among the mammals are Iberian and European Lynx, Mouflon and Coatis.
Aqua Natura Water park
During the summer Terra Natura opens Aqua Natura, the only water park in the Region of Murcia.
This is a refreshing and enjoyable way to cool down in the heat of summer, with swimming pools for adults and children, slides and shoots, kamikazes, lazy river, entertainment and games for youngsters, all within just a short distance of the centre of the city of Murcia.
Opening hours 2024
Terra Natura Murcia is open every day of the year except 1st January and 25th December.
The wildlife park opens at 10.00 in the morning, and during the summer (June 23rd to September 8th) it opens at 11.00.
The water park opens from May 25th to September 8th, at 11.00
Closing times are as follows:
January 2nd – March 15th: 17.00, except weekends in February and March (18.00).
March 16th – May 24th: 18.00, except weekends in April and May (19.00).
May 25th – June 16th: 19.00.
June 17th – September 8th: 20.00.
NB: During the summer special nocturnal tours and meals are available. See what's on section for latest promotions.
September 9th – September 15th: 19.00.
September 16th – October 25th: 18.00, except weekends in September and October (19.00).
October 28th – December 31st: 17.00, except weekends in November (18.00).
Details of daily activities can be found here: extra activities and special offers are regularly updated on Murcia Today.
Click here for online bookings
How to get there
Terra Natura is located in the northern outskirts of the city of Murcia in Espinardo, accessed via the A-7 motorway.
Address: Calle Regidor Cayetano Gago, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia
From the A-7 Murcia to Alicante, exit 136, Universidad de Murcia
From the Autovia A-7 Alicante to Murcia, exit 762b, Murcia centro
By Bus
From central Murcia. Bus line number 31 leaves from Plaza Cruz Roja via Gran Via and passes by the park, from Monday to Saturday every half hour and on Sunday every hour.
Line 39A, leaves from the railway station from Monday to Friday every 15 minutes
Line 39C leaves from Infante Juan Manuel (Pio Baroja) from Monday to Friday every 30 minutes.
