LACA Member Login
Dates for your Diary:
06-09-08
Scottish Food Fortnight
Across Scotland
06-09-08
Highland Feast
various venues across the Highlands
06-09-08
Soil Association Organic Fortnight 2008
Harbourside, Bristol
09-09-08
Managing Your Pest Control Contract – Acheta Training Course
The Mill House, Middleton, Staffs
10-09-08
Eastern Region Committee Meeting
10-09-08
London & South East Regional Committee Meeting
10-09-08
Eastern Region: Committee meeting
11-09-08
South West: Regional Committee Meeting
11-09-08
NACC Conference & Exhibition
Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel
12-09-08
Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival
Ludlow, Shropshire
17-09-08
Mock Trial 2008
Warwick Conference Park, Coventry
17-09-08
Anglia Region Committee Meeting
19-09-08
The York Festival of Food and Drink 2008
20-09-08
British Food Fortnight
Nationwide
20-09-08
Mold Food & Drink Festival
New Street (Somerfield) Car Park
20-09-08
The Belgrave Hall Good Food Fair
Belgrave Hall Museum & Gardens Church Road, off Thurcaston Road Leicester, LE4 5PE
COELIAC UK WELCOMES FSA ALLERGY GUIDANCE
Coeliac UK welcomes the Food Standards Agency (FSA) publication of new guidance to help chefs and caterers handle allergens in the production of loose food and is calling for safer choices and the better availability of gluten-free food on menus.
The new guidance is targeted at businesses selling food that is not packaged, such as restaurants, cafes, deli counters, sandwich bars and bakeries.
It is part of the Agency's on-going work to help these businesses to improve the information they make available to customers who have food allergies or intolerance.
Food businesses selling food prepared or wrapped on site are not required by law to indicate whether it contains ingredients that people may be allergic to such as nuts, wheat or eggs.
The availability of gluten-fee food has increased but eating out is still a cause for concern.
The availability of gluten-fee food has increased but eating out is still a cause for concern.
Statistics show that 67% of people with coeliac disease are less likely to eat out and 77% are less likely to eat prepared food at work.
Eating out is a problem for people with coeliac disease because they cannot eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
Eating out is a problem for people with coeliac disease because they cannot eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
Some people with coeliac disease are also sensitive to oats. The only remedy to this autoimmune disease is a lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet.
Chief Executive of Coeliac UK Sarah Sleet said: "It is essential that café's, delis and restaurants are fully aware of these guidelines and have a strategy for dealing with allergens be it from chefs to serving staff to ensure people with coeliac disease can make a safe choice. We welcome the new guidance published by the FSA and will look forward to working with the food sector and the Food Standards Agency to promote safer eating for people with coeliac disease."
If someone with coeliac disease accidentally eats gluten be it through gluten being an ingredient or cross-contamination, they are likely to be unwell within just a few hours.
The symptoms can often be very aggressive and include severe diarrhoea and vomiting which can last up to 3 – 7 days. Gluten is an ingredient that is in a large number of foods.
Words: Clare Riley
