Gluten-freeGluten-free& Allergen Legislation& Allergen Legislation

Angela KildayCampaigns & Volunteers Manager

Coeliac UK

Agenda• What is coeliac disease?

• About Coeliac UK

• The gluten-free market

• The Law and Gluten-free catering

• Coeliac UK catering services

• New EU Food Information for Consumers

What is coeliac disease?• Autoimmune disease, often misdiagnosed as IBS

• Affects 1 in 100 people

• Only 10-15% are diagnosed

• Lifelong condition which can be diagnosed at any age

• If gluten continues to be eaten, people are at risk of small bowel cancer, infertility and osteoporosis

What happens in coeliac disease?

•Eating gluten damages the gut

•This prevents absorption of nutrients from food

•Left untreated it can lead to a range of nutritional deficiencies eg anaemia, infertility and osteoporosis

What is gluten?

• Gluten is a protein found in:• wheat• rye• barley• oats (similar

protein)

About Coeliac UK

• Coeliac UK is the leading national charity dedicated to improving life for people with coeliac disease

• It is the largest charity supporting coeliac Members in the world

• Coeliac UK is a member of AOECS (Association of European Coeliac Societies)

• Currently Membership is 65,000

• 1200 new Members join each month

• Over 90 Local Voluntary Support Groups throughout UK

Our eating out surveyIf people were sure gluten-free options were available:

• 60% would eat out more often

• Over 50% would eat out once a week or more

• 48% would be prepared to travel for over 45 minutes

The gluten-free pound is estimated £100 million worth of business a year

People go out to eat with 2-3 others

Average spend of £10 - £20 per cover

Each meal is worth up to £60 to the sector

74% would eat out every 2 weeks if more gluten free options were available

Estimating the gluten-free pound

Gluten-free law• 20 ppm or less• Enforceable by law• Law mandatory from Jan 2012

Asking the industry 84% have seen an increase in gluten-free requests in the last 3 years

82% expect this trend to continue with increasing customers requesting gluten-free options

Only 59% were aware of the 2012 legislation

Only 37% trained specifically on preparing gluten-free options

What was on our agenda?

• To understand the levels of gluten in food prepared for people with coeliac disease

• To assess whether GF labelling was appropriate in the catering sector

• To try to identify what was needed for GF preparation in commercial kitchens

• To support the catering sector

• Provide information relevant to all

The first steps• We joined forces with professional catering bodies

• We contacted restaurants, cafes, hospitals, schools, prisons and workplaces

• We wanted the findings to be representative and relevant to all settings

• We commissioned RSSL to work with us

How did we do it?

• Detailed check lists coupled with site visits

• Monitored preparation of meals and collected samples for gluten analysis

• Logged key ‘trends’ and effective control systems

• Identified communication with customer and between staff

Ingredient Labelling

Storing ingredients

Cleaning

Preparation

Personal Hygiene

Communicating with Customers

Staff Training

Key Findings from this research

• Delivering gluten-free was possible

• Effective communication key• to coeliac customers and front & back of house

• Good hygienic practices = Good gluten management

• Results identified essential areas and key common practices

Themes• Ingredients, reading labels• Choosing and using gluten-free ingredients • Storing ingredients • Cleaning• Preparation of gluten-free and non gluten-containing foods• Staff training• Communicating with customers with coeliac disease• Personal hygiene

Latest research

• Looking at controls needed when using gluten-containing flour

• Segregation – use of barriers

• Extraction – use of extraction and ventilation units

• Time intervals

• Distances between preparation areas

• Clothing and handling

• Cleaning procedures

Our catering services

• Accreditation scheme• Online training• Open training courses• In house training courses

Accredited venues

EU FICEU FIC(EU Food Information for Consumers)(EU Food Information for Consumers)

• What is it?• What changes will we see?

• In packaged foods• In catering

• When will the changes happen?

EU FICEU FIC(EU Food Information for Consumers)(EU Food Information for Consumers)• EU-wide review of food and nutrition labelling

regulations

• Combine a number of regulations into one single regulation

• Changes to allergen info but also nutrition declarations and font size

What changes will we see?What changes will we see?

• Changes to labels on foods• Setting a minimum font size• Ingredients list• Allergy boxes

• Changes in catering• Allergen information

Catering and loose foods, e.g. delisCatering and loose foods, e.g. delis

• Now, caterers don’t have to provide information on allergens in meals

• With FIR – you will have to provide this information, could be via:• Symbols on menus• A separate menu (like Zizzi)• Verbally• On a chalk board• It must be clear to the customer where they can find

the information

Thank you!

www.coeliac.org.ukwww.coeliac.org.uk