For a guest with coeliac disease, only serve rusks whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’. Schär Zwieback is one example of a specific product listed on Albert Heijn’s product page, but check the packaging for other allergens too. Store and serve the gluten-free rusks separately from regular rusks and crumbs.
You want to offer gluten-free rusks without them coming into contact with regular rusks, crumbs or shared cutlery. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a stray bread crumb can matter for someone with coeliac disease.
You’re looking for a rusk-style base for sweet or savoury toppings, rather than just any cracker. For the option you choose, check the gluten-free statement on the packaging too.
As well as gluten, you may need to consider ingredients, other allergens or nutritional information. Check the details for the exact product: a gluten-free label won’t automatically answer your other questions about the packaging.
First, check for a gluten-free statement on the current packaging. Then consider whether the product is suitable for your appetisers and whether any other ingredients or allergens matter to your guests.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing gluten-free and serving separately | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging and keep the rusks and serving utensils separate from regular appetisers. | If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I want to make sure the rusks I choose don’t come into contact with regular bread crumbs while being topped. This is the main concern for around 50% of shoppers. |
| Rusks as a base for toppings | Check whether the product is rusks or Zwieback, and whether the pack size suits the amount you want to serve. | For topped appetisers, I want a crisp rusk rather than just any cracker. For around 30% of shoppers, this type of product is the main priority. |
| Other questions about the label | Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the exact product; if you need to know about iodine, specifically look for iodised salt. | If a guest needs to watch out for other ingredients too, I want to know what this product contains. For around 20% of shoppers, these additional questions about the label matter most. |
Product pages for Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit and Damhert gluten-free rusks stated that the products in question were no longer in the online range. So, finding a product name previously doesn’t tell you whether you can buy it now.
Check what’s currently available before your event, and read the packaging again on the product you actually buy. Don’t simply replace unavailable gluten-free rusks with regular rusks.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that even a bread crumb can matter for someone with coeliac disease. Gluten-free rusks can still come into contact with crumbs from regular appetisers while you’re adding toppings.
Keep the rusks separate until you’re ready to serve them, and use a clean plate and a separate knife or pair of tongs.
Albert Heijn lists Schär Zwieback as lactose-free, while the Damhert Nutrition Beschuiten shown by Jumbo listed egg and milk as allergens. These properties don’t automatically apply to other gluten-free rusks.
Check the current ingredients and allergens for each product. Also look at the packaging for nutritional information and whether iodised salt is listed.
A brand name or gluten-free range is no substitute for checking the label on the rusk packaging. The examples below relate to specific product lines or varieties.
Albert Heijn lists Schär Zwieback gluten-free rusks in a 175 g pack.
Jumbo has a Lekker Vrij van Gluten range and has separately listed Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit 120 g.
Damhert has a gluten-free range; Albert Heijn and Jumbo have previously listed gluten-free rusks from the brand.
Under European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the term ‘gluten-free’ may only be used if the food sold to the final consumer contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Check for this statement on the current packaging of the rusks you’re buying for a guest with coeliac disease.
If you’re serving someone with coeliac disease, don’t choose regular rusks based on the front of the pack alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists rusks as a product that may contain gluten; check the current packaging and look specifically for ‘gluten-free’.
Serve the gluten-free rusks separately, with clean, dedicated utensils, and don’t put regular rusks or bread crumbs on the same platter. This helps prevent the gluten-free product from coming into contact with gluten-containing crumbs while toppings are added or food is shared.
No. Check other allergens for each specific product. Albert Heijn lists Schär Zwieback as lactose-free, while the Damhert Nutrition Beschuiten shown by Jumbo listed egg and milk as allergens.
No. Don’t assume a particular rusk contains added iodine without checking the ingredients. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) describes iodised baker’s salt as a source of iodine in bread in the Netherlands, but the word ‘salt’ on its own doesn’t tell you whether iodised salt was used in these rusks.
