Questions related to: What alcohol can I drink?

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If products in Section 1 contain 20 parts per million or less of gluten, what is the level of foods in Section 2?

We do not have gluten levels for the products in Section 2. The products in Section 2 are not specialist products and the manufacturers do not provide test results. They do not contain any gluten in the ingredients list. Manufacturers follow advice from the Food Standards Agency on assessing and managing the risk of cross contamination with allergens including gluten containing cereals.

If you are unsure whether you can eat a particular product you can check the label. For more information on reading labels please visit www.coeliac.org.uk/labels.

 

Are there own brand breakfast cereals I can eat?

There are a number of supermarket own brand cereals which contain small amounts barley malt extract.

Foods that contain small amounts of barley malt extract can be eaten by people with coeliac disease if they contain 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten or less. Cereals which contain barley malt extract will still have to highlight barley in the ingredients list due to labelling laws, and you won’t be able to tell how much has been used from the list alone, unless the product is labelled gluten free.

Previously we would list some supermarket own brand breakfast cereals which contained barley malt extract in our Food Information listings if we’d received confirmation that the product contained 20 ppm or less of gluten. Under our new policy, we are asking food manufacturers who produce products made with ingredients from gluten containing grains, such as barley malt extract to not only confirm to us that their products have been tested and shown to have no more than 20 ppm gluten, but also to label 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 manufacturers to achieve a commitment to enable these products to be labelled gluten free in the future.

Some retailers have their own Free From breakfast cereals these can be found over on our online Food and Drink Information page and dedicated ready made lists for gluten free breakfast cereals.

I like Juvela foods and they’re not available in the supermarkets. What will happen to them?

We have been talking to manufacturers for many years about the possibility of changes in access to prescriptions and we would welcome better access in retail to all gluten free foods for people with coeliac disease. In the end individual companies will need to make the business decisions on where best to supply their products.

Why do products in Section 1 have the Crossed Grain symbol next to them?

We have around two hundred manufacturers supporting our Crossed Grain scheme. Our Crossed Grain symbol is a sign of safety and integrity and so it is important to us to share to the broad range of products that carry our licence.

New companies are licensed regularly, so don't forget to check our monthly updates for any additions. You can find a list of all companies using the Crossed Grain symbol here.

Can I eat monosodium glutamate (MSG)?

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is gluten free. It is a flavour enhancer used in many manufactured foods and can be made from wheat; however, during processing the wheat protein is completely hydrolysed (broken down) and can be eaten by people with coeliac disease.

 

Can I only eat products that Coeliac UK 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.

If you are unsure whether you can eat a particular product you can scan the bar code using our Live Well Gluten Free app or read the ingredients label. For more information on reading the labels why not check out our labelling video that is produced in association with the Food Standard Agency. 

And don't forget you can contact our Helpline on 0333 332 2033 or email us on foodanddrink@coeliac.org.uk with any food product query you may have. 

I'm confused by the 'very low gluten' label. Can I eat foods labelled with this?

This covers foods containing between 21 and 100ppm gluten.

Specialist substitute products (such as breads and flour mixes) that contain a gluten reduced ingredient (gluten free wheat starch) with a gluten level above 21 and up to 100 ppm may be labelled as ‘very low gluten’. There aren’t any foods currently labelled ‘very low gluten’ in the UK.

The first law around the use of the term gluten free was published in January 2009 and introduced in January 2012. This law is based on the revised international Codex Alimentarius standard for gluten free, published in 2008.

Will having coeliac disease affect my insurance policies?

Having coeliac disease does not necessarily mean that you need to pay more for insurance cover. When you contact insurance companies, you should make the following points clear:

  • coeliac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten in products containing wheat, barley and rye
  • it is treated by keeping to a life long gluten free diet and does not require any medication
  • once following the gluten free diet, the individual returns to full health
  • if gluten is eaten accidentally, some symptoms may occur, but they are temporary and extremely unlikely to require any medical attention or hospitalisation
  • anaphylactic shock is not associated with coeliac disease.

You can check out insurance companies’ websites who offer specific packages for those who have coeliac disease, but also shop around. Your present insurance company should be able to help you with a sensible quote.

If a product says it is gluten-free on the label, but is not listed in the Directory, can I eat it?

Yes. If a product states that it is ‘gluten-free’, it will be suitable for a gluten-free diet.

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