We see it quite often: biodegradable tableware (cutlery, plates, straws…) made of wheat or other cereals. It is great that there are more alternatives to plastic, we are all worried about taking care of the planet, but how safe are these for people on a gluten free diet?
What happens when you eat a gluten free dish from a plate made of wheat bran? And what happens if you also use a fork, knife and spoon from the same material? Or if you drink a smoothie through an edible straw? Does this contaminate your food or drink with gluten? Since the use of these products is more common every day and the festival season is coming up, we decided to do some research and answer all your questions.
To do so, we have combined studies done by Coeliac UK, FACE (Spain) and the NCV (the Netherlands) and asked AOECS about their position statement regarding this topic with the SAL (Scientific Advisory List).
The main question we have is if gluten free products are contaminated after they come into contact with biodegradable products.
It is important to notice that the tests show that gluten free food is affected by the non-gluten free tableware.
Most biodegradable products have a significant effect on gluten free products, resulting in the gluten free products no longer being gluten free. Depending on the kind of product and the temperature of the product, the level of contamination differs. These coeliac associations did their experiments in different laboratories using the methods recognized by the codex to determine the amount of gluten content in food (ELISA R5) and in some cases also used other methods to compare (G12).
Results of the experiments with biodegradable tableware:
Laboratory 1: Nutrilab – r-biopharm – Method: ELISA Sándwich R5
| GF Product | Biodegradable tableware | Gluten |
| Soup | Edible bowl of wheat bran from Sligro (>8.000 ppm) | 93ppm |
| Milk | Edible straws of Superhalm, made of wheat bran, apple pulp and sugar | 15ppm |
| Sandwich | Wheat bran plate, knife and fork of Biotrem (>40.000 ppm) | 24ppm |
Laboratory 2: AQUIMISA – Method: ELISA Sándwich R5
| GF Product | Biodegradable tableware | Gluten |
| Rice | Plate | 12ppm |
| Rice – micro | Plate | ND <3ppm |
| Vegetable cream | Plate | >80ppm |
| Vegetable cream – micro | Plate | >80ppm |
| Hot Milk | Plate | >80ppm |
| Cold Milk – pipetted | Straw | ND <3ppm |
| Hot Milk – pipetted | Straw | ND <3ppm |
Laboratory 3: University of Seville – Methods: ELISA R5 and G12
| GlutenTox ELISA A1 – G12 | ELISA Sándwich R5 | |
| Rice | <10ppm | <10ppm |
| Rice – micro | <1,56ppm | <5ppm |
| Vegetable cream | <10ppm | <10ppm |
| Vegetable cream – micro | 10-20ppm | 10-20ppm |
| Hot Milk | 10-20ppm | 10-20ppm |
| Cold Milk – pipetted with straw | <1,56ppm | <5ppm |
| Hot Milk – pipetted with straw | <1,56ppm | <5ppm |
The test results show that gluten from biodegradable tableware contaminates food and drinks. It is therefore safer not to use these products.
Are you visiting a festival or other event and you think biodegradable tableware is used? Bring your own. That way it is safer for you to order something that is gluten free. But you still need to ensure there is no cross contamination at these places, which is not always easy. If you have the option to bring your own food with you, make sure you have a back-up plan.
Regarding the use of disposable tableware, we give the same advice. Keep in mind that not only plates, forks and spoons are made of gluten containing cereals, but there are also pasta straws, which will also contaminate your drink, so just ask for your drink without a straw.
These tests were spot checks and don’t have the same value as certification of a product. These results may not guarantee the same results for a different package. It only gives an indication.
Christmas is a time for reunions with friends, family, workmates and most of them have a common denominator, no it’s not the music but the food! Whether you are coeliac or will be hosting a coeliac of any shape and size 😄, these tips may be for you:
Organizing a special dinner for a large number of people can be a daunting task. Even more so if you have to think about an additional gluten free menu, but it can be rewarding. In general, coeliacs are usually an easier guest than it may seem.
No matter how small, the fact that you have thought of gluten free food will be appreciated.
Call your coeliac friend or relative, they will be happy to help. Coeliacs are used to explaining their dietary situation and appreciate your interest.
Keep in mind that any small amounts of gluten can have direct consequences for their health, that is why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions.
It is not an exaggeration – it is because it affects their health.
Ask for brands that they can take and where to buy them. You will definitely be thanked for any special Christmas gluten free food.
You’re invited to a Christmas dinner, as you might expect not all guests are coeliacs. Pretty sure there will be lots of gluten going around. Feeling stressed out yet? There are easy ways to keep your mind at rest and help you enjoy this wonderful occasion.
If you have been invited to eat-dinner-celebrate at the home of a loved one, help your hosts, make yourself available and answer their questions. It makes things easier for both you and the host.
You know how to manage this type of situation perfectly, it facilitates the organization of the menu. You can suggest easy gluten-free options that do not involve too many changes or that avoid the need to duplicate the preparations.
Explain what cross contamination is and what it means to your health. Do not explain it only to the host who is preparing the food, talk about it also at the table.
These are usually occasions with a lot of people, so it may be more difficult to be under control of certain situations. The classic examples of someone dipping bread in a sauce or passing the bread over the food sources of the table. 😬
Catering for kids? Be sure to be careful, especially with young coeliacs.
It’s important to explain coeliac disease and cross contamination to everyone. This way they understand and empathize with them during the meal.
You can always avoid having products with gluten on that table to minimise the risks.
In general, children with coeliac disease will often ask what they can or cannot eat. You can prepare separate gluten free dishes for them, explain that it is safe for them and make it clear not to eat what others are having.
With desserts we must also be careful because as always, not all Christmas products will be suitable. In case of a young coeliac, you should always review what is suitable for coeliacs.
🎅🎄✨
The CYE Summer Camp is the oldest and one of the most important projects of the Coeliac Youth of Europe. CYE considers the role of youths absolutely essential in raising awareness, connecting communities, and advocating for people with coeliac disease worldwide.
The CYE Summer Camp reaches across borders to help involve young people in the coeliac movement as well as ensure continuity throughout generations of the AOECS member associations. CYE truly believes that youths are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but they already drive today’s innovative approaches to coping with coeliac disease.
The history of CYE Summer Camps goes back to 1999, when this initiative started with the first camp held in Hungary. It was an attempt to bring a group of young coeliacs together to help create a powerful and international youth community. The participants were able to connect and learn about their condition as well as empowerment of others to fight together for a better life for people living with coeliac disease.
Since then, CYE has organized a summer camp in a different country every year, gathering a lot of young people living with coeliac disease aged between 18 and 30, from many different countries across the world. They have had the opportunity to share ideas and experiences, improve their knowledge, learn from one another, and strengthen their skills in a fun and international environment.
The participants enjoy a full week of activities, meeting other coeliacs from around Europe and most importantly forget about their daily struggles with coeliac disease and the gluten free diet. Experiencing a CYE Summer Camp helps young coeliacs realise that they are not on their own facing the same problems on a daily basis. It can also serve as a pathway to be more involved in CYE and AOECS member associations.
CYE Summer Camps usually receive many applications from coeliacs all over Europe to be part of each camp. It’s a challenging and an exciting experience for AOECS Member Associations to host the camp.
The CYE Summer Camp is a unique opportunity to raise awareness locally because societies can stay in touch with local councils and companies. Hosting the camp can also result in new restaurants that are interested in joining other projects developed by the Coeliac Associations, such as the Eating Out programmes. It also helps to develop a close relationship with the national youth group and the national society.
In order to support future organisers of this event, there is a working group with organisers of previous camps focused on keeping in touch with the organisers and help with any issues they may have.
Thanks to the support of AOECS member societies, the enthusiasm and energy of the participants, and the support for youth communities to be able to host such an event, 20 years on this exciting project is still alive.
As we get closer to another AOECS/CYE conference, as a board we tend to reflect on the past year. As with any other year, it has had its challenges but we are grateful to see areas in which CYE keeps improving on.
Launching a new refreshed look of our website in June has been a welcomed change. Whilst at this moment in time the website’s structure is the same, we aim to review what we can improve and if possible add new sections of interest.
In the long run, our website will be a wonderful tool for us to share not only CYE’s work but information related to coeliac disease and the gluten free diet.
A great way for us to share our stories is Beat the Wheat, which has now been transformed into an online blog. It is still in its initial stages but we are confident that it will grow and reach a larger audience. The aim of this project has always been to share travel experiences, youth group news, recipes, medical articles and more.
The Editorial team is more than happy to have external contributions, any articles or stories you would like to share are welcome! You can contact the Beat the Wheat team on editors.beat.the.wheat@gmail.com.
Our work on social media keeps reaching out to coeliacs from all over the world. It’s been a pleasure to be able to attract new coeliacs to CYE and its work!
Everyone is aware that Facebook and Instagram are great tools for us to share our content but we should also mention our Facebook Group.
CYE’s Facebook Group just keeps on growing! It has over 2,600 members ready to help coeliacs with any travelling tips. If you’re travelling and need some tips on where to find gluten free food, this is the group for you!
CYE Summer Camps have been around since 1999, that’s 20 years of amazing gluten free experiences! Every year brings its own wonderful experience and this year has been no different.
CYE Summer Camp 2019 was organised by AFDIAG Jeunes in Paris from the 4th to the 10th of August. The 50 participants enjoyed a week full of activities, ranging from cultural visits such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Versailles to Cooking sessions, Laser Tag Games and a lovely Gala Night.
It was a wonderful week for both the participants and the organisers themselves. A huge thank you goes to all those involved in organising this event and to the sponsors!
CYE Summer Camps are a great opportunity to meet other coeliacs and spend a full week of activities without worrying about coeliac disease. Make sure you check out our social media and website for updates on our 2020 Summer Camp, which will be held near Trieste, Italy.
Good question! Our first stop will be in Milan for this year’s conference. After that, another year working hard to improve CYE with the help of our delegates.
Our thanks go to all those that support us during the year to reach out to young coeliacs around the world.
Interested to join us raise more awareness on coeliac disease? Feel free to contact us!
CYE Board
James, Beatriz and Eduard
The German Coeliac Society invites you to the 10th Gluten Free Oktoberfest!
The event is on the 21st of September in the Feststadl Ascheim, near Munich. If you’re around Munich on the 21st September you might not want to miss this one!
There will be music and Bavarian specialties and – of course – gluten-free beer. Producers of gluten-free foods will also present their products.
You can register online on Germany’s Coeliac Society website. More details about the event can be found here.
🇩🇪 ❤ 🍻
Finally, summer has arrived, which is the best time to attend festivals. Festivals attract a lot of young people from all over the world because of the fantastic concerts offered and the awesome atmosphere.
Besides the good programmes and performances, food also plays an important role in choosing the best destination. If people want to spend more time at festivals or just stay camping with their friends, they will opt for the ones where it is possible to eat gluten free food.
The best choice is to take some products from a food truck, but the question is whether we find gluten free food at the festivals or not.
Well, let’s have a look at it.
In Hungarian Summer Festivals, one can take their own food into many music festivals, which is quite useful. It is the cheapest solution for coeliac youth and you can be sure that those products are 100% free from gluten. However, it is advisable to take a certificate that justifies you as coeliac to enter the festival with GF food.
It makes everyone’s life easier if there are stalls established in the area of festivals which offer GF options. This way gluten free products can be bought any time if they are needed.
Firstly, little supermarkets (Lidl in Campus Fesztivál and Aldi in Sziget) are built inside the area of festivals where GF bread, salty sticks, dairy products and cold cuts can be purchased.
Secondly, there are more and more completely gluten free food trucks or zones. However, it is recommended that coeliac associations contact the festival organisers to arrange safe GF options and avoid the cross contamination.
In the SZIGET Fesztivál (which starts very soon!) you can find the KOLBice food truck. SZIGET’s website also provides details on all gluten free, vegan and lactose free options. Another opportunity for a coeliac heaven is to participate in the Valley of arts festival. The organisers are well prepared with gluten free products!
Created in 2019, Lili’s Truck has been visiting a lot of festivals in Hungary (EFOTT, Fishing on Orfű and in Savaria Festival). This truck prepares GF hot-dogs, hamburgers and pancakes for coeliacs.
An Instagram project to have more gluten free options in festivals such as GF beers and food trucks had an amazing response. Numerous festivals responded to this Instagram initiative and offered their help to coeliacs.
Awesome food trucks that offer a suitable menus for coeliacs in Spain! These are just examples of the many options that visitors can enjoy.
In other European countries it may also be a challenge to find gluten free food, but that shouldn’t discourage you. Bringing your own food is always an option.
All in all, the situation is getting better every year and hopefully, in future festivals will provide coeliacs with more options.
Here’s to gluten freedom 💖
Dear coeliac people from all over Europe,
The new Beat the Wheat blog is officially launched! This year has been very important to rethink and shape the future of this project, so there is a lot of news we’d like to talk about in our first post.
More than six years ago, in late 2012, the editorial team of Beat the Wheat published the bulletin’s first issue. Since then new volunteers joined the project and we’ve edited many other numbers (all of them are available in the BTW’s archive), but we’ve always used the same style and publishing platform. For this reason we thought it was time to bring some fresh air into the project.
After discussing the proposal with the delegates at last year’s CYE assembly in Budapest, we decided to change the format of Beat the Wheat. We’re not going to publish it as a four-month based online bulletin anymore, but instead we’ll turn it into a blog. The articles will be posted both on the CYE website and on the CYE’s official social network pages, Facebook and Instagram.
We’d like to say a big thank you to all the volunteers that were involved in the development of this project since the beginning and also to those who will keep it alive in the future, even after the current editorial team leaves.
The main aim of Beat the Wheat will be the same: collecting and editing articles from as many countries as possible to tell the stories of coeliacs people around the world. In order to do that, we’ll need your help to send us your personal experiences. Don’t worry if your English isn’t perfect, we’ll be happy to revise your pieces before we publish them!
To reach us you just need to write to: editors.beat.the.wheat@gmail.com. Every contribution is welcome!
Keep following the new Beat the Wheat blog!
Greetings,
The Editorial Team
Happy International Coeliac Day!
We share with you a message from AOECS.
Awareness of Coeliac Disease (CD) has drastically increased in the past few years through the concerted efforts of national coeliac societies, international coeliac organisations and food safety authorities. However, recently a worrying trend has emerged of individuals following a gluten-free diet without a CD diagnosis.
A paper published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, in 2016, estimated that in the US, there were twice as many individuals adhering to a gluten free diet without being diagnosed with coeliac disease as there were those that had a diagnosis for CD. Though no scientific study on the European situation has yet been published, the situation in Europe does not seem to be very different. By far, the majority of these individuals are self-diagnosing non celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) while the rest are being diagnosed as having NCGS without an appropriate evaluation for CD.
The reasons for this are many and include advice from friends, social media, a desire to lose weight, public perception that gluten free diet (GFD) is healthier. In some instances, even doctors and dieticians are advising to follow a GFD without prior adequate testing for CD.
Apart from the social burden of a possibly unnecessary GFD, going on a GFD without being properly assessed for CD, can result in actual CD being masked and once started on GFD, not being able to be properly diagnosed. Considering that studies have shown that those that self-diagnose are more likely not to adhere to the diet, this might also have medical repercussion on those individuals with real CD.
Being on a GFD brings with it a social burden, as individuals are limited in their meal choices in and out of the home. Also, an economic burden will apply as gluten-free products tend to be more expensive than non-gluten-free food products.
However, there is significantly more far-reaching medical repercussion of maintaining a GFD prior to diagnosis. Accurate CD testing requires high levels of gluten-specific antibodies that create the autoimmune reaction associated with CD. So, by cutting gluten out of diets, test results may be inaccurate as CD is masked by the body.
Considering that studies have shown that those that self-diagnose are more likely not to adhere to the diet, this might also have medical repercussion on those individuals with real CD.
As a general guideline, the recommendation is to eat some gluten in more than one meal every day for at least six weeks before testing.
For those wishing to reintroduce gluten into their diet, it is recommended that this be discussed with the attending doctor, particularly to ease their CD symptoms.
AOECS Member societies are also able to help with advice on first steps to take towards diagnosis, see our list of member societies at www.aoecs.org/members.
AOECS would like to emphasise that while non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is a real, though difficult to definitively diagnose disease, , prior to diagnosing NCGS CD should always be tested for to be excluded.
Testing of CD has to be done through the application of relevant and current medical criteria. In most cases, these are screening by tissue transglutamise antibody testing followed by gastroscopy and duodenal biopsy which remain the “Gold Standard” for diagnosis. So, whilst encouraging medical practitioners to put CD high up on their differential diagnosis list as well as on the utilisation of certified, quick antibody test, AOECS completely discourages their use for self-diagnosis.
On the other hand, AOECS encourages anyone that has CD to actively take part in their local coeliac society. These coeliac societies provide medical information to support their members, work closely with doctors, nurses and dietitians in their countries to raise awareness of recognising CD symptoms.
Coeliac societies work hard to ensure availability of the safest and most affordable gluten free foods. AOECS Member societies participate in AOECS’ Europe-wide licensing of the Crossed Grain Trademark (CGT) to gluten-free producers. Recent surveys have shown that 78% of those with CD trust a gluten-free product more if it bears the CGT on its packaging. This is due to the stringent requirements of the licensing scheme. As part of the licensing process, licensees are required to provide proof that their products contain max 20 mg per 1kg (20ppm) gluten content. They must provide lab analyses test certificates as evidence and audit certificates showing a consistently gluten-free production through rigorous auditing of their manufacturing sites.
Coeliac societies also help to increase awareness amongst food stores, restaurants and hotels on the GFD as well as influence policy makers to obtain the best conditions for those living with CD in Europe.