Questions related to: Is it compulsory for manufacturers or caterers to indicate whether a product is suitable for people with coeliac disease?
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Can I only eat products listed in the Food and Drink Guide?
No. You do not have to limit yourself to products listed in the Food and Drink Guide.
The gluten free diet is made up of naturally gluten free foods such as fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and poultry, eggs, cream, milk, rice, potatoes, pulses and beans. We do not list every brand of these in the Food and Drink Guide but you can find a list of naturally gluten free ingredients on Page 6 & 7.
Where can I find gluten free products available to food service?
Food Service and Catering products are listed on our online Food and Drink Information section of our website.
Do you offer any catering training?
Yes, we offer different types of training for caterers to suit your needs – in house face to face training, a bespoke online course and online training.
To find out more about our training options visit our training for caterers page or contact us at CateringTraining@coeliac.org.uk to find out more.
Can I still have Bisto Best products?
Whilst most Bisto Best products are not made with gluten containing ingredients, you will notice that the manufacturer, Premier Foods, has included a ‘May Contain’ statement on the packaging. This is in line with best practice guidance for including gluten contamination advice on labels.
Bisto Best is made on equipment which is also used for products containing wheat flour. Although there are controls in place to reduce the risk of cross contamination, Premier Foods cannot remove the risk of gluten contamination completely.
Previously, we have listed Bisto Best products that were not made with gluten containing ingredients as the product when prepared for consumption, would be suitable for a gluten free diet. Under our new policy, we are asking food manufacturers who include a ‘May Contain’ to consider the threshold for gluten free (< 20 ppm gluten) and if they have determined their products consistently have no more than 20 ppm gluten, to also consider labelling them gluten free. In the absence of a gluten free label they will no longer be included in our food information listings. We are continuing to engage with the manufacturers to achieve a commitment to enable these products to be labelled gluten free in the future.
Premier Foods have a Bisto gravy which is labelled gluten free, this product can be found in most Free From supermarket sections.
If you need more information, please contact Premier Foods on 0800 234 6328.
Is hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP) gluten free?
Hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP) can be made from different cereals or soya. If a cereal that contains gluten, such as wheat, has been used manufacturers must list this in the ingredients (for example, hydrolysed wheat vegetable protein) in line with the EU wide allergen labelling law.
All prepacked foods bought in the UK are covered by current EU wide food labelling legislation. This means that if gluten is used as a deliberate ingredient it must appear on the ingredients list, no matter how much is used.
Manufacturers will name the grain, for example, wheat, rye, barley, oats, or some will use the word gluten as well such as wheat gluten. This information must be declared in the ingredients list and emphasised, for example in bold. Read more about the information that manufacturers must provide.
Can I eat modified starch?
Modified starch is used in many products and can be derived from a variety of sources. If the source is a cereal that contains gluten, manufacturers must list this in the ingredients list in line with the EU wide allergen labelling law, for example modified wheat starch. If you see modified starch on the ingredients list and it does not refer to a cereal that contains gluten, such as wheat, this must be from a cereal that does not contain gluten and is gluten free.
How do I find out where I can buy gluten-free communion wafers?
You can find a list of communion wafer suppliers here.
Can I eat foods in both sections?
Yes. Whilst the products listed in Section 2 are not labelled gluten free, the products are made without gluten containing ingredients and the manufacturers have made a risk assessment on cross contamination and have steps to control this.
Why do some products in Section 1 have a Crossed Grain symbol next to them?
We are highlighting the products that use the Coeliac UK Crossed Grain symbol. Section 1 of this Guide has the symbol next to all products that hold the Crossed Grain symbol licence. New companies are licensed regularly, so don’t forget to check the monthly Food & Drink Guide updates for any additions. You can find a list of all companies using the Crossed Grain symbol on our website here.