27/06/2017
A campaign to raise awareness of Coeliac-related food safety issues and help British food businesses meet the fast-growing demand for gluten-free food has been launched by Coeliac UK, the charity for the 1% of the UK population with coeliac disease – a lifelong condition caused by intolerance to gluten.
Coeliac UK claims that more than 90% of people on a gluten-free diet ate out over the past month, yet they still experience frustrating and persistent issues with food safety and the responsiveness of staff.
‘The Gluten Freevolution’ aims to help food businesses cater better for those with gluten intolerance, give them access to the information they need to make ‘great and safe’ gluten-free food and help them compete successfully in an expanding market that Mintel estimated to be worth £247m back in 2015.
In addition to supporting the Coeliac UK campaign, the Association of Convenience Stores lists retailers’ responsibilities when handling and serving foods that contain allergenic ingredients alongside information on storage and labelling in its Assured Advice Guidance, ‘Managing Food Safety and Hygiene’.
Labelling claims about gluten in foods are also covered by the Food Standards Agency in ‘Labelling of ‘gluten free’ foods’, which includes sections on
- labelling standards from July 2016
- how gluten-free food should be labelled
- how gluten labelling has changed
- how the rules have changed