VIDEO | Wheat vs Gluten
If a foodstuff is gluten-free, is it also wheat-free?
The Regulations Relating to the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs (R. 146/2010, as amended) define a list of common food allergens and give clear guidance regarding how to declare and control these foods.
One of the common allergens, significant cereals, is a grouping of grains: wheat, rye, barley, oats, and cross-hybrids of these cereals.
Many queries received by FACTS pertain to the significant cereal group.
The confusion is possibly rooted in an incomplete understanding of the three major conditions triggered by significant cereals; and it may have been further exacerbated by the consolidation of all gluten-containing cereals into a single group – ‘significant cereals’.
This SAAFoST presentation identifies possible root causes for this lack of clarity, and seeks to address the knowledge gaps contributing to it. It highlights the major adverse reactions associated with significant cereals, the differences between them, the clinical mechanisms involved, and the consumer groups concerned. It then overlays the regulatory requirements and explains why correctly applying them is crucial to ensuring that consumers receive the information they require to make safe purchasing decisions.
Learn more about Allergen Management here.
Presented by Comaine van Zijl