Choose regular De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes for the hotel breakfast buffet if the familiar aniseed topping matters more than a sugar-free claim: according to WorldwideHolland’s product specification, sugar is listed first in the ingredients and the product contains 79 g of sugars per 100 g. For a buffet option labelled sugar-free, check the nutritional information and claim for the product you choose. A spread with less sugar or no added sugars is not automatically sugar-free, and is not a like-for-like replacement for an aniseed topping.
Only wants to label a product as sugar-free when the nutritional information for that particular variant allows it. With 79 g of sugars per 100 g, as stated by WorldwideHolland, regular De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes does not meet this requirement.
Wants the familiar aniseed topping for bread or rusks and accepts that the regular variant contains sugar. A fruit spread or chocolate sprinkles has a different flavour and appearance.
Must be able to give guests information about allergens present in unpackaged spreads and toppings. WorldwideHolland lists milk, wheat and cereals containing gluten for regular Gestampte Muisjes.
First decide whether the buffet needs a traditional aniseed topping or a different kind of sugar-conscious spread. Then check the claim, nutritional information and allergens for the specific variant you plan to serve.
| What to consider | What to check | Most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| A sugar-free claim | Check the claim and the number of grams of sugars per 100 g on the current packaging. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the EU ‘sugar-free’ claim allows a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. | If I put ‘sugar-free’ on the buffet menu, I want to be sure the description matches the product being served; this is the top priority for around 42% of consumers who buy breakfast spreads and toppings on behalf of a hotel. |
| Aniseed flavour and product type | Don’t compare an aniseed topping for bread or rusks as though it were the same kind of product as jam or chocolate sprinkles. Check the ingredients and sugars per 100 g too. | Anyone wanting to offer guests crushed aniseed sprinkles in particular will want to retain the familiar aniseed flavour and sprinklable texture; this is the top priority for around 25% of consumers who buy breakfast spreads and toppings for hotels. |
| Allergens at the buffet | Check the allergens for every variant you use and make sure the information is available where the unpackaged product is served. | At an open buffet, I want guests to be able to check the allergens without having to find the original packaging; this information is the most important consideration for around 33% of consumers who buy spreads and toppings on behalf of a hotel. |
These claims don’t mean the same thing: a product with no added sugars can still contain sugars. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the EU ‘sugar-free’ claim allows a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml.
Before using a claim on your buffet menu, compare the exact wording with the nutritional information on the current packaging.
A fruit spread or chocolate sprinkles won’t necessarily have the aniseed flavour and sprinklable texture guests expect from crushed aniseed sprinkles.
Choose the product type according to what you want the buffet to offer, and label different types of spread separately.
Guests generally can’t see the packaging when spreads and toppings are served unpackaged. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that information about allergens present must be available where the product is offered.
Make sure the information is easy to find at the buffet, and update it if the product being served or its recipe changes.
The regular 270 g pack of Gestampte Muisjes is an aniseed topping for bread or rusks.
Hero Jam Zero strawberry is a fruit spread, not a variant of crushed aniseed sprinkles.
The sugar-conscious spreads and toppings category offers ideas for comparing other types of sweet toppings for bread.
No: WorldwideHolland’s product specification lists sugar as the first ingredient and 79 g of sugars per 100 g for the regular 270 g variant. When buying, check the current packaging for the variant you’re serving.
No, a product with no added sugars can still contain sugars. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the EU ‘sugar-free’ claim allows a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml; Albert Heijn lists 3.2 g of sugars per 100 g for Hero Jam Zero strawberry.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that information about allergens present must be available where guests are served unpackaged spreads and toppings. WorldwideHolland lists milk, wheat and cereals containing gluten for regular De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes; check the packaging of the product on your buffet.
A fruit spread can be another choice for a sweet bread topping, but it doesn’t replace the aniseed flavour and sprinklable texture of crushed aniseed sprinkles. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Hero Jam Zero strawberry is a spread containing sweeteners and 3.2 g of sugars per 100 g, not a sugar-free aniseed topping.
