Communion wafers

Wheat, a cereal that contains glutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. , is the only substance authorised by the Roman Catholic Church to make Eucharistic bread so there are special ‘low gluten’ hosts that have been approved for use by individuals with coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. when taking Communion. These products contain Codex wheat starchA specially manufactured kind of wheat starch that has been washed to reduce the level of gluten to a trace level within the Codex standard. . This is a specially processed wheat starch which has a level of gluten within the Codex standardThe standard by which gluten-free foods are measured. All gluten-free products need to get to below a certain limit to be considered either gluten-free or very low gluten. . It was first introduced as a basis for staple gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. substitute products like flour and bread to improve the quality and texture of these products.

Other churches allow communion wafers to be taken which are made entirely from gluten-free ingredients and often suppliers will sell two different varieties.

Some people may prefer to abstain from taking communion in the conventional way and have a blessing instead.

A number of companies produce communion wafers that are suitable for people with coeliac disease. These are often available via mail order. Please see our communion wafer list for a full list of suppliers and the wafers available.

Before ordering as an individual it is worth talking to your church as their usual church supplier can sometimes order these for you and minimise delivery charges.

Contamination

To reduce the risk of contamination with gluten from gluten-containing hosts, we would advise that your communion wafers are stored and presented separately.