1st National Gluten-Free Catering Seminar
Post: Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition
Date: 22 febrero 2018
Section: Seguridad Alimentaria
On 19 February, the Spanish Federation of Coeliac Associations (FACE) brought together more than 150 professionals from the health sector and the hotel and catering industry at the “I Jornadas Nacionales de Restauración Sin Gluten/Gluten Free” (1st National Gluten-Free Catering Seminar).
The event was intended to create closer ties with leading chains who already collaborate with FACE (including the Vips Group, McDonalds and Meliá Hoteles), as well as to provide information about the training and advisory programme developed by the Federation for those establishments wishing to safely offer gluten-free menus, thereby creating the largest network of restaurants in Spain suitable for people with Coeliac disease.
The event was opened by Teresa Robledo de Dios, Executive Director for the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN), who stated that we are aware of the importance of a gluten-free diet for those people affected by this intolerance. This is why the permanent objective is to guarantee that the food products offered to meet the needs of this group are safe.
The Agency took part in the drafting of the Codex Standard for foods for special dietary use for persons intolerant to gluten, until its adoption in 2008.
Ms Robledo de Dios also highlighted that on 24 January, action began to be taken regarding the requests relating to the establishment of a single threshold for the food products intended for this group of the population, that is, those products which can be labelled “gluten-free” and do not contain more than 20 mg/Kg of gluten. Harmonisation at European Union level has also been requested for the symbols and pictograms used for this population group.
Ms Robledo de Dios confirmed that the update of the Early Diagnosis Protocol would shortly be available. The latest aim of this protocol is to make primary health care professionals aware of the importance of the early detection of Coeliac disease and to provide them with the necessary tools to do so.
The president of the Federation of Coeliac Associations, Jon Zabala, once again expressed the concern of the Coeliac population about the fashion for gluten-free diets as this detracts from the work of the Federation and affects Coeliacs enormously, by offering gluten-free menus without considering the risk of cross contamination. He went on to highlight the current high rate of underdiagnoses as 80% of people with Coeliac disease do not yet know they have the disease.