If its not in the coeliac uk food and drink directory, is it not gluten free?

[Gfmom]

For example Lindt chocolate or morrisons cornflour? There's nothing on the labels to indicate gluten.

[Apricot]

I will declare a commercial interest here at the outset.....but for once it has its uses....

For inclusion in the FDD, the companies involved have to complete the details in no later than mid-October each year...for publication in the late Jan/early Feb following.

The criteria for the Prescribables section is very strict...and have to provide certificates from an outside testing house to prove the PPM levels...for each item. This is over and above the requirements of the ACBS lists.

For the rest of the book....there isnt any Morrisons listing in the 2013...but certainly they did appear in 2012 .and years before that. There are other notable absences....

Sorry, dont recall seeing any Lindt chocolate...and being a fully qualified Chocoholic...I would have....just love those Bunnies....(and am told they are safe..)

Would also advise a note of caution...read every label on foodstuffs that you put in your shopping trolley..every time...and yes I know its boring....but its better to be safe than .....you know the rest.

So the answer...is it could be...and the safest plan..is to ask.....

With best wishes for your future health....

Apricot

[freelancer in reply to Apricot]

I read somewhere Lindt had barley in it, though I think it was below the technical gluten-free level. I definitely started reacting to it as I got more sensitive, which was a complete pain as it's the one brand of good dark chocolate that's available everywhere!

[Lexy in reply to Apricot]

Hi Apricot - just FYI: Lindt bunnies are def NOT gf - they have barleymalt listed on their ingredients, on each individual sticker, so thankfully you don't even have to hunt for it!

[Apricot in reply to Lexy]

The bunny has escaped...hes on the sideboard...and can be admired from afar...so far he has the gold coat intact...

[meanioni]

Can't add much more than the superb reply above ^ other than to say that inevitably the CUK list is out of date as soon as it is published (nature of the beast). Also bear in mind that even the legal interpretation of gluten free can mean that there are still gluten molecules in the food and some super-sensitives cannot tolerate even this.

So approach with caution, read the labels and speak to the manufacturer. If in doubt, don't! or try a small sample and monitor for any effects.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

GfMom - as above not every food producer is included in the directory for various reasons - some wish to avoid it others miss the copy deadlines.

For the products you mention I'd ring / email the companies involved that way you'll get the up to date info.

Generally you can normally read a label and ascertain if it's safe i.e. if no allergen is listed or they are not produced on a line with wheat etc. A word of warning here though is that I was glutened by those new potato crisps last year following that method. All it stated on the ingredients was potato and olive oil and salt. I don't normally have extreme reactions but within 2-3 hrs of eating them I had severe stomach cramps and was on the loo for longer than normal! When I emailed the producer they offered to send me more packs (!?) and said that they're made on a line with wheat products. Of course I told them they should be stating this clearly on the packet as Coeliacs would rightly assume that as nothing bad is stated in the ingredients that they are safe to eat. So always contact the producers directly..ask how it's made, what ingredients it contains - is it classified as gluten free? And if so why don't they label it so more people can enjoy it.

FYI when I search the Lindt UK site only these are given as returns for 'gluten free'

lindt-shop.co.uk/catalogsea...

Corn flour should be naturally GF. It's how it's produced that may contaminate it.

[Sonianin in reply to FionaGFG]

Going purely from recollection here, I was given a Lindt bunny last easter and I'm sure the ingredients included Barley, gutting but I don't eat Lindt anymore!

Hotel Chocolat label up their GF stuff and it's always shown in their catalogues too, much better

If you want cheap then Lidl do stuff from independent chocolatiers so is often GF. I used to shop in Lidl for choc for cooking with but I also discovered that Aldi has great labelling when it comes to gluten so the chocolate frequently doesn't make it to the baking stage

[Gfmom]

Thank you so much for your answers, it really is a minefield, isn't it!

[dobido]

hi everyone i don,t eat much chocolate but found that most of the thorntons easter eggs in most supermarkets this easter were labelled as not having any gluten containing ingredients in them, i don,t know if that is the same for all thorntons chockies i,m more cautious cause i can,t have even the (safe) level of gluten.i found g/f w/f dairy free chocolate in asda only £1.09 a bar got one as a standbye for if i crave it not tried it yet though

[loobylou123 in reply to dobido]

Yes you are correct 99.9% of Thorntons is Gluten Free, I purchased a big box of choclates for the Mother In Law for mothers day, very impressed to see excellent labeling stating that it did not include and Gluten from any Gluten containing ingredients, and considering they all had centers in them they obviously make and effort.

[Gfmom]

Thanks , I never used to eat chocolate but I I think now my diet is really low carb I just fancy a bit of dark chocolate in the evening sometimes. I bought some green and blacks 70% dark choc yesterday, ( well I asked my husband to pick some up) because its in the directory. When I looked at the label it said may contain cereal! It's on the coeliac uk online directory so I'm assuming its up to date, also says its gluten free on green and black website, but then it says cereal on the label! It's all very confusing :/

[Lexy in reply to Gfmom]

If you have an Aldi near you they sell chocolate which is labelled 'gluten free'. It's the Moser brand of chocolates. They don't do very dark ones (I like dark choc that's over 70%) but they do a 70% one. They also do a dark one with a hint of chilli pepper, which is fantastic broken up in a pot of chilli (I only use half of one of their individually packed rectangles) Hope this helps.

[Gfmom in reply to Lexy]

Hi Lexy

I am now the proud owner of three bars of aldi gluten free chocolate yay!! Thanks for this xx

[Lexy in reply to Gfmom]

Glad you've found some! I hope they are ok for you...everyone of us is different...

[Lexy]

Must admit, GFMom, I don't really bother with the CoeliacUK list - didn't even know about the above reasons (ie pretty much out of date as soon as it's printed!), just knew that so many of the things they listed as 'gf' caused reactions in me so it wasn't worthy trusting!! If and when I buy anything processed (keep it to a minimum) I carefully read the entire ingredients list, and when there are doubtful items like maltodextrin, xanthan gum, and for me soy products cos I don't think I get on ok with them, I put it back. Chocolate is difficult, especially cocoa powder. Have yet to source one that is actually gf. But as I said above, Aldi does sell some that are labelled 'gf'. Good luck!

[haydn74 in reply to Lexy]

I recently had xanthum gum from my chemist, as it is on the list of precribable foods you can have on a doctor,s prescription. It is used in recipes on the Glutafin website, and makes such a difference to my baking of cakes etc.

[Lexy in reply to haydn74]

Hi Haydn74 - it's all up to individual taste and reactions. I cannot take xanthan gum as it leads to 'gluten-type' reactions in me. If it works for you then great. However, it does seem to me to be an unnecessary additive to use. Depending on the recipe involved, I've read that apple puree and chia seed jelly can achieve the same effect.

[haydn74 in reply to Lexy]

Hi Lexy. Thanks for reply. A friend of mine uses this gum as it helps with the rising of her cakes. Will soon be baking again, so will try without gum,and will let you know the results. Bye

[Gfmom]

Thank you! I do have an aldi nearby, I'll definitely take a look x

[windymillersue]

I had a chocolate thorntons egg..a chick on an egg actually, from tesco, and unusually i was absolutely fine!!

Lindt white soft truffle things are fine with me too, not all have barley, but all other chocolate now brings reactions. LABEL WATCH!!

[windymillersue]

I have reacted to green and blacks, btw

[Malago]

Yes the Aldi chocolate range really is GLUTEN-FREE, superb value etc etc

But on to Lindt and Coeliac UK...... some of their chocolates contain MALTRODEXTRIN a substance that CUK have in the past and may still regard as OK !!

Perhaps some CD folk may be ok ingesting this substance, however I find I am extremely sensitive to this, and possibly have been for years and years ( before CD issues occurred) when I reacted with severe diarrhoea and exhaustion. I would get these symptoms after eating cold meats like ham, salami etc; which I now know may contain Maltodextrin.

On checking on the web it seems that Maltodextrin if manufactured in UK is derived from WHEAT, but if made in USA likely to be derived from CORN!!

All this only conspires to make it so very difficult for CD folk to manage their disease and their future health. I now feel that despite a label that might state Gluten Free, I have to check all the ingredients and know how the ingredients are 'created' !!

Regards Malago

[Gfmom]

Thorn tons seem like they might be a good bet, I'll take a look at their website thanks!

[Jacks in reply to Gfmom]

Pre current regulations Thorntons did have some items that were gluten free and suitable for coeliacs, now those same items are only labelled 'no gluten containing ingredients'. So I can only assume there IS a problem if they can't make manufacturing safe and I no longer buy anything that has changed in this way (including some crisps).

[1stgls]

I assume there is a difference between something being gluten free and something being made with wheat/gluten free ingredients--- i went out for a pub meal and the apple crumble was made of ingredients not containing wheat/gluten but did not state it was in fact wheat/gluten free--- unless it was made in a dedicated g/f area it may have become contminated

I avoid products that do not specify wheat/gluten free- for although they themselves do not contain these nasties they may have been contaminated from other items in the factory.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

GFMom check out our Pinterest page for inspiration on GF chocs. FYI No gluten containing ingredients does NOT mean an item is GF. It means a producer is using a term that was designed for the catering industry when the new EU labelling came into force. Basically NGCI = it can be made in the same factory or line as wheat / gluten based products. It doesn't mean they have to test products regularly nor that they have any due diligence process in place. So I prefer to hunt out chocs that actually say 'gluten free' instead. I have found M&S v good on their labelling as they normally state 'not suitable for coeliacs due to manufacturing methods' so at least you know where you stand there! Lots of their chocs are GF. Lidl is great as many people have recommended.

Here's our pinterest page for inspiration:

Our guide to GF product lists is also here: pinterest.com/gfguerrillas/

pinterest.com/gfguerrillas/...

pinterest.com/gfguerrillas/...

PS I avoid all Green & Black's chocs they can't be bothered to make it GF so I can't be bothered to waste my money on 'may contain' or 'made on a line with cereal'.

[Henbur in reply to FionaGFG]

Hi Fiona, love the pinterest page can I be cheeky and suggest you include Pippa Kendrick - The Intolerant Gourmet on there, her recipe book is amazing its wheat, egg, dairy and soy free and most are also gluten and nut free too. It's very easy to see which arent. Recipe book is available from the book depository for £8, I got mine for a fiver from a discount book shop :), she has a website here theintolerantgourmet.com/

[Gfmom]

Thank you Fiona, I will look at those links. I did email green and blacks and have had a notification that they'll respond from cadburys, I didn't realise that they were the same company. Marks and Spencer's seem to be more helpful all round. I see from there website they do gluten free stuffing and sausages . I wonder if I make the effort to go there will they have much in stock? I'm hoping the sausages will be the normal kind rather than the really course meaty ones from sainsburys that don't contain gluten. ( I wonder if they ate made with all the other sausages though? I expect they are ).

[KathrynS_UK in reply to Gfmom]

The M&S sausages (to my recollection) are all made with a gluten free crumb

[haydn74 in reply to Gfmom]

I recently went to Asda and found some gf sausages which i thought were thenicest of all I have tried, even M&s. They are in freezer section and are "Dohertys Gluten and Whest free. 8 thick ones and £1.85. No shrinking at all and had them for tea today. Yum!!!!!!!!!

[Henbur in reply to Gfmom]

Marks and spencer do a pack of chip oats sausages that have a lower meat content and are more like say a Walls, if I can remember such a thing after al these years LOL,the rest are quite meaty!

[Henbur in reply to Henbur]

Chip oats is actually CHIPOLATA in iPad language ; )

[Gfmom]

Thanks I've tried these and I love them in fact I had some for tea tonight! They have garam Marsala in them which is a bit unusual but nice. I've also discovered that my local farm shop has a freezer full of their own home made gliten free goodies! Sausages, burgers, pastry, chicken parcels which were boned chicken legs stuffed with a sausage meat stuffing and wrapped in bacon then tied in a cushion shape. They were lovely and all gluten free and made separately to the rest of the products!