Coeliac and gluten-free guides

There are 14 foods known to be associated with food allergy and intolerance and you must state if any of these are ingredients in your dishes.

Some of these (e.g. milk, wheat, egg) are more prevalent in a kitchen environment than others (e.g. lupin, celery). Indeed some may well be easier to control than others due to the nature of the food. For example wheat flour is difficult to contain in a working kitchen; just open a packet of flour and see how easily it spread away from the packet. Ironically one of the most popular “free from” choices is for gluten-free food. This is particularly important for customers who are coeliac or have another sensitivity to gluten.

The following guides will help you choose foods that are safe for these customers and also highlight how best to avoid cross-contamination with gluten (for example from flour). The general principles of controlling gluten displayed here can also be applied to the control of other food allergens as well – (a) what ingredients is the allergen in, and (b) how can I prevent the allergen from contaminating the food.