Don’t choose the De Ruijter sprinkles covered here if you have coeliac disease: according to Albert Heijn, the blue-and-white, pink-and-white and crushed varieties contain wheat starch and are listed as containing gluten. Retailer Snoepman describes Joris Muisjes Suikervrij as sugar-free and gluten-free, but they are soft gummy sweets, not aniseed sprinkles for crispbread. If you do consider buying them, check the current packaging for gluten-free status, sugars and ingredients before deciding whether this different type of product is right for you.
Checking the ingredients list isn’t enough on its own: look for a current gluten-free label or an appropriate certification mark on the packaging. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that the Crossed Grain certification mark also covers the manufacturing process.
As well as checking for a ‘sugar-free’ claim, you’ll want to know which sweeteners the product contains. The Joris retailer information we checked lists maltitol syrup; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, larger amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems.
For breakfast or a visit to see a new baby, you may be looking for crunchy aniseed sprinkles rather than sweets shaped like mice. The De Ruijter varieties we checked are traditionally used for this, but according to Albert Heijn they contain wheat starch and are not a gluten-free choice.
If you’re looking for aniseed sprinkles or an alternative and have coeliac disease, while also wanting to avoid sugars, first check the gluten-free label on the exact product packaging. Then check the sugar information and decide whether you want sprinkle-on aniseed topping or a sweet.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Verified gluten-free status | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or an appropriate certification mark on the current packaging, and check the ingredients for the exact variety. | If I have coeliac disease, I only want to choose sprinkles when the packaging clearly confirms they’re gluten-free; around 42% of consumers put that reassurance first. |
| Product type and use | Check whether they’re sprinkle-on aniseed for crispbread or soft gummy sweets. | For crispbread, I’m looking for crunchy aniseed sprinkles rather than a soft sweet; around 33% of consumers prioritise this traditional use, although it doesn’t replace the need for a gluten-free product. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Check the sugars per 100 g and the ingredients. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, ‘sugar-free’ can mean no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g for this type of food. | I want to avoid sugars and know which sweetener I’m consuming; for around 25% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
According to Albert Heijn, the blue-and-white, pink-and-white and crushed De Ruijter sprinkles we checked contain wheat starch and are listed as containing gluten.
Read the label for the exact variety. If you have coeliac disease, also look for an explicit gluten-free label or an appropriate certification mark on the current packaging.
The claim ‘sugar-free’ relates to sugars, not gluten. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, products containing polyols such as maltitol can also cause digestive problems if consumed in larger amounts.
Check for a gluten-free label separately, and read the nutritional information, sweeteners and any warnings on the packaging.
Snoepman describes Joris Muisjes Suikervrij as soft gummy sweets. This is a different type of product from De Ruijter’s sugar-coated aniseed sprinkles.
Before buying, decide whether you’re looking for sweets or a sprinkle-on topping for bread or crispbread; the name ‘muisjes’ doesn’t make the two uses interchangeable.
The varieties we checked are traditional, sugar-coated aniseed sprinkles for bread or crispbread.
Retailer Snoepman sells Joris Muisjes Suikervrij as soft, mouse-shaped gummy sweets.
This supermarket has separate online categories for aniseed sprinkles and gluten-free products.
No. According to Albert Heijn, the blue-and-white, pink-and-white and crushed varieties contain wheat starch and are listed as containing gluten. Always check the current packaging for other varieties too.
No. ‘Sugar-free’ tells you about the sugar content, not gluten. If you have coeliac disease, look separately for an explicit gluten-free label or an appropriate certification mark on the current packaging.
They’re different types of product: Snoepman describes the Joris variety as soft gummy sweets, whereas traditional aniseed sprinkles are sugar-coated seeds. Check the packaging before relying on the sugar-free and gluten-free claims too.
Check the ingredients, serving size and any warnings on the label. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, larger amounts of polyols, including maltitol, can cause digestive problems.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the type of grain used in an allergen must be clearly named in the ingredients list and distinguished from the other ingredients. If you have coeliac disease, the gluten-free label on the current packaging is also important when making your choice.
