Living without gluten – practical shopping tips

It isn’t really all that complicated to stick to a gluten-free diet. These eight useful suggestions will help you to focus on what is important and simplify your life.

1.    Find out which foods contain gluten and which don’t. You can download a list of gluten-free foods here.

2.    Take a list of gluten-free products that are generally stocked by shops with you when you go shopping.

3.    Whenever you can, buy products for people with celiac disease.  There is now a good selection of gluten-free products available in the shops  and now available is Kikkoman naturally brewed  TAMARI gluten-free soy sauce

4.    Surf the web. There are all kinds of products on the internet and it’s easy to buy them from online shops that specialise in gluten-free products. 

5.    Read the label carefully! Manufacturers have been required by law to state the 14 most important food allergens on their product labels since November 2005. Take care, though, because this only applies to packaged foods. If you don't know what one of the ingredients listed on the label is, it’s best not to buy the product.

6.    Starch containing gluten has to be specifically declared. According to the EU Labelling Directive, products manufactured after February 2000 which state starch or modified starch on their labels have to contain gluten-free starch.

7.    Be careful when you shop abroad! Even products and brands that are identical to the ones you use at home can have different ingredients. That’s why it’s always important to read the label carefully or request information from the country’s celiac disease association.

8.    Remember that storing your gluten-free products with products that contain gluten can cause gluten contamination. So always store them separately.