Eating right is one of the most important parts of healthy living and is vital for people living with coeliac disease or those needing to follow a gluten-free (GF) diet. Adapting to a strict GF lifestyle can be difficult and significantly complicate everyday life. It is essential for people that live the GF lifestyle to have access to suitable foods in supermarkets, whether it be packaged goods, delicatessen or ready-to-eat meals.
Coeliac New Zealand is the voice for those living with the disease in NZ. Due to the severe nature of the autoimmune condition, managing coeliac disease is a significant undertaking and also involves avoiding cross-contamination. This type of GF lifestyle must be managed at home, work, school and while eating out.
"Eating gluten, even in the most minute amount like a bread crumb, can have serious consequences for someone living with coeliac disease," said Dana Alexander, Coeliac NZ's Sales and Marketing Manager.
To help everyone in the food industry understand the requirements for GF food, Coeliac NZ has developed a 'Gluten Free Food Safety Training' certificate and Dining out Programme Accreditation. The certificate covers everything from choosing ingredients, preparation, storing and cooking to serving and labelling food as GF. The training certificate is the first step in the Dining out Programme Accreditation, which aims to provide GF customers with the assurance that food is safe for them to eat.
"Unfortunately, we've been told that catering for people with coeliac disease often falls into the 'too hard basket.' This can lead to exclusion in social situations, workplaces, hospitality, and schools. The Gluten Free Food Safety Training certificate has simple guides, explanations, and examples which make catering for people who must maintain a strict gluten-free diet easier," said Alexander.
For a product to claim it is GF, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) requires there to be no traces of wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Coeliac NZ also has the Crossed Garin logo, which, if displayed on a product, means it has been reviewed and approved by them.
"It is also important for people working in the hospitality industry to understand that even if a food product is gluten-free, it cannot claim so unless there is also zero risk of contamination in the preparation, storage or display of the product as well. Even the smallest trace of gluten on a chopping board can make a person with coeliac disease ill."
An estimated 100,000 New Zealanders have coeliac disease, and international research suggests this number will continue to rise. More information on the Gluten Free Food Safety Training' certificate and Dining out Programme Accreditation can be found on Coeliac NZ's website.
