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GLUTEN FREE MYTHS AND LIES
I recently was visiting a customer when the subject of gluten free meals came up and I was shown a gourmet meal from a competitor that was apparently gluten free and one which my customer found to be good.
Now let me point out I have in no way any problem with competition in fact I enjoy it but I believe it should be on a level playing field at least or as they say apples with apples, I knew of this competitor and their manufacturing process and seriously doubted their ability to deliver such an article, I was in fact correct as no certification could be produced sustaining the claim, it was simply made with rice flour in close proximity with other gluten products, the butcher in question wasnt very happy that he had not received what he had paid for, or worse he wasnt selling what he thought, fair enough
Gluten free products are very much requested these days due to many people having an intolerance to this product and the consequences can be serious if a person who is seriously affected consumes product containing gluten without their knowledge and also without the retailer or manufacturers knowledge
The facts are the FSANZ food standards code states CLAIMS IN RELATION TO GLUTEN CONTENT IN FOOD
A CLAIM TO THE EFFECT THAT A FOOD IS GLUTEN FREE MUST NOT BE MADE IN RELATION TO FOOD UNLESS THE FOOD
(A) has no detectable gluten, and no
(i) oats or their products, or
(ii) cereals containing gluten that have been malted , or their products
Now all this means little to the butcher what he needs to know is when he buys a gluten free meal it is exactly that and to be confident you have the right to request from your supplier certification supplied to them from the manufacturer that that product has been tested and passed as gluten free
In turn the manufacturer has a strict set of guidelines to be able to make his product gluten free and is tested extensively, in addition his manufacturing plant must be free of the possibility of cross contamination, and often an exclusive non gluten enviroment completely, meaning no products are made containing gluten anywhere on that plant
Procedures such as chemical washdowns must be performed weekly to ensure no gluten is present and of course separate storage after packing.
I recently was visiting a customer when the subject of gluten free meals came up and I was shown a gourmet meal from a competitor that was apparently gluten free and one which my customer found to be good.
Now let me point out I have in no way any problem with competition in fact I enjoy it but I believe it should be on a level playing field at least or as they say apples with apples, I knew of this competitor and their manufacturing process and seriously doubted their ability to deliver such an article, I was in fact correct as no certification could be produced sustaining the claim, it was simply made with rice flour in close proximity with other gluten products, the butcher in question wasnt very happy that he had not received what he had paid for, or worse he wasnt selling what he thought, fair enough
Gluten free products are very much requested these days due to many people having an intolerance to this product and the consequences can be serious if a person who is seriously affected consumes product containing gluten without their knowledge and also without the retailer or manufacturers knowledge
The facts are the FSANZ food standards code states CLAIMS IN RELATION TO GLUTEN CONTENT IN FOOD
A CLAIM TO THE EFFECT THAT A FOOD IS GLUTEN FREE MUST NOT BE MADE IN RELATION TO FOOD UNLESS THE FOOD
(A) has no detectable gluten, and no
(i) oats or their products, or
(ii) cereals containing gluten that have been malted , or their products
Now all this means little to the butcher what he needs to know is when he buys a gluten free meal it is exactly that and to be confident you have the right to request from your supplier certification supplied to them from the manufacturer that that product has been tested and passed as gluten free
In turn the manufacturer has a strict set of guidelines to be able to make his product gluten free and is tested extensively, in addition his manufacturing plant must be free of the possibility of cross contamination, and often an exclusive non gluten enviroment completely, meaning no products are made containing gluten anywhere on that plant
Procedures such as chemical washdowns must be performed weekly to ensure no gluten is present and of course separate storage after packing.
