Is That Food Really Gluten Free? A Question Coeliacs Should Not Have To Ask.

So, we all know that some people cannot eat gluten containing foods because it makes them sick right? We also know that there are laws about labelling foods which contain gluten and for managing those foods in food businesses.

These food businesses include cafes and restaurants. Many Coeliacs may not feel safe  going  out, as they have to rely on those businesses to do the right thing with their gluten free foods. Although gluten is included in the list of food allergens in Australia, the reaction which occurs when Coeliacs eat gluten containing food is an autoimmune reaction and over time the inflammation damaged the small intestine, causing the villi to flatten and die. This prevents them from absorbing nutrients, which can lead to many health issues, malnutrition, and diseases like cancer, and osteoporosis.

There is no cure for Coeliac Disease, people can only prevent the symptoms of flatulence, diarrhea and stomach pain, and the potential health problems, by avoiding gluten containing foods. So it is both shocking and disappointing to find that in a recent survey of 158 food samples from 127 restaurants in Melbourne, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research found that nine percent contained detectable gluten.

None of the nine percent met the gluten free definintion in the Food Standards Code. The results were published in the Medical Journal of Australia May 28 2018. The question is why? Food businesses are legally required to ensure that gluten is not in foods that are declared as gluten free, and to ensure that their staff understand both the importance of allergen control and their role within it.

This is surely just businesses not doing what they are required to do, and are putting people at risk as a result. There is no excuse for any food business to have food such as this.