Helping the Food Service Sector serve you

It’s been an exciting time for the catering services team at Coeliac UK. We have been busy spreading the word up and down the country from hospitals and universities to hotels and pizzerias, helping to educate food service staff so that they are better equipped to serving you and catering to your needs.

In the last three months, we have trained staff from:

• University of Leicester
• The Berkeley Hotel, London
• Freeman Hospital, Newcastle
• HF holidays
• Birmingham NHSNational Health Service Trust
• Sodexo
• Mitchells and Butlers
• Bradford Teaching Hospital.

As part of its catering services, Coeliac UK have developed an accreditation scheme, open to all establishments where 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. food is served. The scheme includes two awards; GF accreditation for establishments producing dishes containing 20ppm glutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. or less (a safe amount for people with coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. ) which is covered by law and NGCI (no gluten containing ingredients) where strict controls and cross contaminationWhen food that is gluten-free comes into contact with food that has gluten in it, and so is no longer gluten-free. processes are in place and where no ingredients containing gluten have been used. NGCI is not covered by law, however, and no claims on amounts of gluten are required when using this label.

All 732 Domino’s Pizza stores have been awarded GF accreditation and over 300 Pizza Hut restaurants have been accredited with Coeliac UK’s NGCI symbol. Negotiations are in progress with other chains too.

2013 will see more developments within catering services as the Charity works with more restaurants, cafes, hotels and public sector organisations.

Coeliac UK’s catering services’ social media pages are a great resource for anyone involved with gluten-free food. Follow/like us at:

• www.twitter.com/CUKCateringServ
• www.facebook.com/CoeliacUKcateringservices

For more information, contact catering.training@coeliac.org.uk