May is Celiac Awareness Month . . . Are your "gluten free" meals really gluten free?

Are your “gluten free” meals really gluten free?

Here are a few tips from the Canadian Celiac Association – we wrote the book on gluten free.

Ingredients Gluten free means no protein from wheat, rye, barley, or oats. Gluten added to a manufactured product MUST be listed on the product label, in a CONTAINS statement or in the Ingredient list. The listing must include the common name of the grain: wheat, rye, barley, and oats. All forms of wheat must be identified as “wheat” including spelt, kamut, triticale, red fife, freekeh, etc. If a gluten grain appears in the May Contain list, the product is not considered gluten free. Look for flour, grains, and cereals that carry a “gluten free” claim from the manufacturer. Some of these products are made in facilities that also process wheat. A flour mill cannot be cleaned sufficiently between runs to process both. Gluten sometimes appears in unexpected places: broth, soy sauce, salad dressings, sauces, processed meat. READ EVERY LABEL EVERY TIME. Ingredient lists frequently change.

Food Preparation It takes less than 50 mg of gluten to cause harm to someone with celiac disease – a few crumbs of bread. 50 mg of gluten can be transferred from dish to dish by cooking utensils, cutting boards, on a grill, in frying oil, in pasta water, on dirty gloves or aprons or even with airborne flour. Use separate utensils, separate cutting boards, and separate pans for gluten free food. Once a gluten ingredient or garnish has been placed on a plate, the plate is not servable as a gluten free dish. You must remake the plate with completely new ingredients. Make sure all garnishes are also gluten free.

Serving Notify the kitchen staff that a gluten free order has been placed, even for a dish that is naturally gluten free. Simple contact with a gluten ingredient is enough to contaminate a plate for a gluten free guest. Carry and serve the gluten free plate separately from the other plates at the table to avoid this contact. Confirm that this is a gluten free dish with the customer when it is served. Don’t be concerned if the guest asks you extra questions – people who will become ill from a small amount of gluten tend are always concerned about your ability to serve them a safe gluten free dish.

Resources: Pocket Dictionary of Ingredients – www.celiac.ca

Pocket Dictionary for iPhone and iOS – www.glutenfree247.ca

Cooking and Serving Gluten Free (workbook or training) - www.cuisineservicesansgluten.com

Gluten Free Food Preparation online training – www.CCAlearn.com

Gluten Free Food Service for the Hospitality Industry – coming very soon, inquire at training@celiac.ca

Gluten Free Certification Program – www.glutenfreecert.ca

Canadian Celiac Association
5025 Orbitor Drive, Building 1, Suite 400
Mississauga, ON L4W 4Y5905-507-6208

Visit www.celiac.ca or email info@celiac.ca