Choosing safe foods Volunteers’ Conference 2009
• Changes to gluten-free labelling • What it means for you • Choosing safe foods
Gluten-free?
.
Q:
What does gluten-free mean?
A:
A safe level of gluten for people with coeliac disease
1980s - 2008 • The international standard for gluten less than 200ppm • Standard applied to gluten-free labels • Standard applied to Codex wheat starch • Not enforceable by law • Not tolerated by all
New International Standard –Safer (lower) levels of gluten –Two levels for gluten in food Gluten-free Less than 20 ppm
Safe for all
Very low gluten 21-100ppm
Safe for most
What does this mean for me? • First ever law • Transitional stage • Stricter standard – Safer (lower) levels of gluten – Stricter rules on labelling
What are the changes to labelling? • Law states that: – ‘Gluten-free’ must appear near product name – Terms such as • ‘suitable for coeliacs’, • ‘suitable for a gluten-free diet’
Can only be written alongside ‘gluten-free’
• Does this mean less choice? – No
Looking at labels The Food and Drink Directory 2010
The gluten-free diet
Gluten-free foods •
Naturally gluten-free foods – – – – –
•
Rice, Corn (maize), Quinoa, Millet Fruit and vegetables Meat, fish, eggs and dairy products Pulses (peas, beans, lentils) Pure oats*
Some processed foods – Soups – Sauces – Ready meals…
•
Specialist substitute products – Breads – Pastas – Flour mixes
The gluten-free diet
Gluten containing foods Where do you find gluten? • Cereals: – Wheat • • • •
Spelt Bulgar wheat Kamut Triticale
– Barley – Rye
• Processed foods: – Soups – Sauces – Ready meals The gluten-free diet
Choosing safe foods What’s on the packet? 1. ‘Gluten-free’
2. Allergy advice box 3. ‘May contain’ 4. The ingredients list
Gluten-free • Products which contain less than 20ppm gluten • This will include: – Naturally gluten-free products – Specialist, substitute products which may or may not contain Codex wheat starch – Pure, uncontaminated oats Choosing safe foods - read the label
Oats Are they safe? – 9 out of 10 can tolerate pure oats
Why do we talk about pure oats? – cross contamination
How do I know if oats are pure? – ‘gluten-free’ label – Food and Drink Directory
Allergy advice box • No laws on use of allergy advice box Allergy: barley Ingredients: barley malt vinegar • Always check the ingredients list
May contain gluten… • Looks at cross-contamination • Based on guidance given by Food Standards Agency • Not based on law Is it safe? • Check the Food and Drink Directory • Contact our Helpline • Contact manufacturer
Ingredients list Manufacturers are required by law to: • List all ingredients and identify any allergens present in the product regardless of how much they have used
Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
What to look for • Manufacturers must list the grain they have used • Look for: – – – –
Wheat Rye Barley Oats
Some may use the word ‘gluten’ as well e.g. ‘wheat gluten’
Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
Example 1 Potato starch, vegetable oil, salt, colour, flavourings; (contain celery, soya, wheat) wheat flour, flavour enhancers, emulsifiers, spice and herb extracts, onion extract x This product is not suitable for a gluten-free diet Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
Example 2 Sugar, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, cocoa mass, lactose, vegetable fat, whey powder, milk, fat, emulsifiers, starch, glazing agent, colours, vegetable oil, flavourings, vanilla extract, milk ďƒź This product is suitable for a gluten-free diet Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
Confusing ingredients • Oats • Codex wheat starch • Modified starch • Barley malt extract • Exempt ingredients
Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
Modified starch • If the source is gluten-containing it must be declared • If the source if gluten-free it does not have to be declared • • • •
Modified wheat starch Modified maize starch Modified potato starch Modified starch
Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
x
Barley Malt Vinegar • Barley flour
x
• Barley malt/malted barley x • Barley malt vinegar
• Some barley malt extract
Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
Barley Malt Extract • Barley malt extract – Eat straight from the jar X – Eat in tiny amounts
• How do I know if it’s a safe amount? Check the Food and Drink Directory
?
Exempt ingredients • Exempt from the law: – – – –
Maltodextrin / maltodextrin from barley Glucose-syrups / glucose-syrups from wheat Dextrose / dextrose from wheat Distillates for spirits
• Are they safe? – Come from a variety of sources – Processing removes the gluten – They are gluten-free and suitable for people with coeliac disease Choosing safe foods - ingredients list
Choosing safe foods What’s on the packet? 1. ‘Gluten-free’
2. Allergy advice box 3. ‘May contain’ 4. The ingredients list
The Food and Drink Directory 2010
Food and Drink Directory 2010 •
List of safe products
•
Split into two sections – Section 1 - ‘Gluten-free’ • •
Based on new labelling law Including Free from and prescription
– Section 2 – Everything else • •
Based on ingredients list Mainstream products
In a nutshell… • Look for the ‘gluten-free’ label • Check the ingredients list • Look in the Food and Drink Directory • When in doubt, call the Coeliac UK Helpline on
0845 305 2060
