Coeliac disease affects approximately 1 in 100 people in the UK and only 24% of people who have the condition are medically diagnosed. That’s almost half a million people in the UK who suffer from this disease who are undiagnosed.

For Coeliac Awareness Week, which ends 15^th May 2016, Coeliac UK are campaigning to help the public identify the symptoms and improve diagnosis.

Coeliac disease is a common digestion condition caused by a reaction to eating gluten; a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, and the symptoms include but are not limited to bloating, diarrhoea and malnutrition.

This autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells in the body by mistake is not the same as having a gluten intolerance or being allergic to wheat and other cereals, but is often confused because they can cause similar symptoms.

There is no cure, so people that suffer from the disease are faced with a daily challenge of avoiding foods that contain or have been cross-contaminated with gluten. Gluten is one of the 14 major allergens that need to be highlighted to consumers as part of the Food Information Regulations (FIR).

Bunzl Catering Supplies have produced a Food Safety & Hygiene e-brochure which contains a range of products and information  that can help increase food safety in the workplace and can help back of house staff prevent cross-contamination. Click here for more information and to download the e-brochure.

Also available from Bunzl Catering Supplies are 30mm Gluten Free labels, perfect for food service operators to apply to food packaging, so that their customers can easily identify food which does not contain gluten. Click here for more information on our range of Free From labels.