Gluten-free & Allergen Legislation

1. Gluten-free& Allergen Legislation Angela Kilday Campaigns & Volunteers Manager Coeliac UK

2. 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

3. 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 is coeliac disease?

4. 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

5. What is gluten? • Gluten is a protein found in: • wheat • rye • barley • oats (similar protein)

6. 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 90Local Voluntary Support Groups throughout UK

7. Our eating out survey If 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

8. Estimating the gluten-free pound Average spend of £10 - £20 per cover People go out to eat with 2-3 others Each meal is worth up to £60 to the sector 74% would eat out every 2 weeks if more gluten free options were available The gluten-free pound is estimated £100 million worth of business a year

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Ingredient Labelling

15. Storing ingredients

16. Cleaning

17. Preparation

18. Personal Hygiene

19. Communicating with Customers

20. Staff Training

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. Our catering services • Accreditation scheme • Online training • Open training courses • In house training courses

25. Accredited venues

26. EU FIC(EU Food Information for Consumers) • What is it? • What changes will we see? • In packaged foods • In catering • When will the changes happen?

27. EU FIC(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

28. What changes will we see? • Changes to labels on foods • Setting a minimum font size • Ingredients list • Allergy boxes • Changes in catering • Allergen information

29. Catering 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

30. Thank you! www.coeliac.org.uk