Reading the labels re gluten free...

[FSB]

Just a quick question - when you're checking if a product is GF, does it have to have "gluten free" written in it, or is it enough that it doesn't list gluten as one of the allergens or if none of the named ingredients contains gluten?

Not everything will specifically say 'gluten free'. You have to check the ingredients for anything that would have gluten in it.

As Aquarium says, as long as there are no gluten-containing ingredients listed then it's fine. EU laws mean that it is illegal not to list any ingredient that contains gluten (eg wheat, barley, rye) but they do not have to say gluten specifically. Coeliac UK has lots of good advice on this.

No, it doesn't have to say gluten free, it just needs, as Aquarium and freefrom say, to not list anything with gluten in it as an ingredient.

My pet hate is "may contain" and "produced in a factory that also..." when none of the ingredients contain gluten. Bloody ensure no cross contamination then, you lazy bleeders. Don't just cover your arses.

Have you got the food directory from the coeliac society? That's quite useful.

A lot of 'produced in a factory/may contain traces' items are still gluten free according to the coeliac society and brand websites. I agree the food and drink directory is useful - as is having their helpline number saved in your mobile phone so you can call from the supermarket if in doubt.