Confidence from the label
You’re looking for a flavoured snack and want to check first whether its coating and seasoning are suitable for your gluten-free diet. The Voedingscentrum explains how to identify gluten-free products from their packaging.
Who is this relevant to?
Trying a different flavour
You might want to compare cocktail or curry flavours, for example, but you check each variety individually. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Duyvis shows why you can’t assume that because one variety is suitable, the whole brand is too.
Serving gluten-free snacks to guests
You’re buying snacks for a get-together with someone who has coeliac disease and want to avoid contact with gluten while serving. The Nederlandse Coeliakie Vereniging offers advice on avoiding cross-contamination.
What should you look for in cocktail nuts for someone with coeliac disease?
First check whether the exact variety is suitable; flavour, quantity and packaging come afterwards.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Suitability for a gluten-free diet | Check the latest information for the exact variety, including its coating, ingredients and allergens. | I want to know whether the whole product is suitable for a gluten-free diet before choosing a flavour; around 42% of consumers prioritise confidence in the label. |
| Flavour variety | Read the information for each flavour separately; a flavour name doesn’t tell you whether a product contains gluten. | If I want to try a different flavour, I check that variety again rather than assuming the whole brand is suitable; around 25% of consumers prioritise flavour variety. |
| Serving without cross-contamination | Keep a suitable snack separate from foods containing gluten and prevent contact with crumbs. | When serving snacks, I want to avoid contact with crumbs from other foods; around 17% of consumers prioritise careful serving. |
| Packaging and storage | Compare the quantity and closure, and follow the storage advice on the packaging. | I want a quantity and closure that suit how I’ll use and store the product; around 16% of consumers consider this the most important practical factor. |
Common pitfalls with cocktail nuts and coeliac disease
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Checking only the peanut and overlooking the coating
The product information for the AH and Jumbo cocktail varieties reviewed lists wheat and gluten. So the coating and seasoning need to be checked too.
Read the full ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety, not just the description of the peanut or its flavour.
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Assuming an old shopping list is a permanent guarantee
The Nederlandse Coeliakie Vereniging warns that recipes for cocktail nuts can change. So a product you bought before doesn’t automatically tell you anything about its current ingredients.
Check the latest packaging every time you buy the variety.
A pack that turns out to be unsuitable may go unused.
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Putting a suitable snack alongside foods containing gluten
Crumbs or contact with other products can contaminate an otherwise suitable snack while it’s being served.
Serve the snack separately and use clean serving utensils.
Brands to consider for flavoured cocktail nuts
Duyvis
Duyvis Borrelnootjes Oriental 275 g is a flavoured variety with a crunchy coating.
- Duyvis provides information about the seasoning and ingredients for Oriental.
- The information lists wheat, so this variety isn’t suitable for this coeliac-friendly purchase.
Albert Heijn
The AH own-brand range includes Borrelnoten cocktail 250 g.
- Albert Heijn describes this variety’s packaging as resealable.
- The product information lists gluten-containing cereals and wheat; the packaging feature doesn’t make the variety suitable.
Jumbo
Jumbo sells Borrelnoten Cocktail 300 g, among other products.
- The product information makes the ingredients and allergens in this variety clear.
- Jumbo lists gluten and wheat for this cocktail variety.
Lidl
Lidl Netherlands lists cocktail nuts in its range.
- The range listing helps you identify the product category.
- A category page doesn’t confirm that an individual variety is gluten-free.
ALDI
ALDI lists Trader Joe’s cocktail nuts in Oriental, Provençale and cocktail flavours, in a 300 g pack.
- The product listing distinguishes between three flavours.
- Flavour and range information doesn’t prove that a product is suitable for a gluten-free diet.
PLUS
The PLUS category page lists Borrelnoten Mild and varieties in an Oriental style, among other products.
- The category information helps you tell the listed varieties apart.
- A listing in the category doesn’t show that a specific variety is gluten-free.
Joybuy products
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Should I check a product again if I’ve bought it before?
Yes. The Nederlandse Coeliakie Vereniging warns that the ingredients in cocktail nuts can change. So check the latest information for the exact variety every time you buy it.
Can you tell whether cocktail nuts are gluten-free by their smell or taste?
No. Use the ingredients and allergen information to assess the variety. Its smell and taste won’t tell you whether the ingredients contain gluten.
How can you avoid contact with gluten when serving?
Keep a suitable snack separate from foods containing gluten and use clean serving utensils. The Nederlandse Coeliakie Vereniging points out that a cross-contamination warning indicates a possible risk.
What European rules apply to the ‘gluten-free’ label?
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 governs the terms ‘gluten-free’ and ‘very low gluten’. According to the European Commission, these rules have applied since 20 July 2016; Regulation (EC) No 41/2009 was repealed at that time.
How should you store an opened bag of cocktail nuts?
Follow the storage advice on the packaging you choose. For AH Borrelnoten cocktail, Albert Heijn recommends storing the product in a cool, dark and dry place and sealing the pack carefully after use; this doesn’t change the fact that the variety is listed as containing gluten-containing ingredients.