Hosting someone with coeliac disease
You’re looking for rusks that are explicitly labelled gluten-free and want to prevent the portion coming into contact with crumbs from regular rusks when serving.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Organising a meal for guests with different allergen requirements
As well as gluten, you may need to consider milk or egg, for example. These ingredients vary between rusk varieties, so check the packaging of the product you’re serving.
Planning a table with a range of snacks
You want to serve the gluten-free rusks separately and check the packaging just before serving.
What should you look for when choosing?
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food intended for the final consumer may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Then check for any other allergens that matter to your guests and plan how to serve the rusks without contact with crumbs.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to most |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the packaging and read the current ingredients list. | For a guest with coeliac disease, I want to see on the pack that the rusks are gluten-free. This confirmation is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Contact with crumbs | Choose a pack you can keep sealed until serving, and make sure you have clean, separate serving utensils. | If regular rusks are also on the table, I want to serve the gluten-free portion separately. Preventing contact with crumbs is the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Check the specific pack for milk, egg and any other allergens that matter to your guest. | If a guest also needs to avoid milk or egg, I don’t want to rely on the gluten-free label alone. These additional requirements are the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Choosing regular rusks because the ingredients don’t seem to include wheat
A quick glance at the ingredients doesn’t replace an explicit gluten-free label. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, that label means the food contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
For a guest with coeliac disease, choose a pack labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the label just before use.
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Serving gluten-free rusks alongside regular rusks and shared dips
The Netherlands Coeliac Society says cross-contamination must also be prevented. Crumbs can get onto the gluten-free portion via work surfaces and shared utensils.
Keep the pack sealed until just before serving, and use clean hands, a clean work surface and separate serving utensils.
If guests will be helping themselves, you may need an extra dish or pair of tongs.
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Assuming gluten-free also means free from milk and egg
Jumbo lists egg and milk as allergens in one Damhert gluten-free rusk variety. So a gluten-free label tells you nothing about these separate properties.
Ask which allergens your guest avoids and read the allergen information on the pack you’re planning to serve.
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Assuming baker’s salt guarantees that rusks are suitable
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Whether it has been used has no bearing on whether rusks are gluten-free.
Check the ingredients if baker’s salt matters to your choice, but don’t use this as a substitute for checking the gluten-free label and serving the rusks carefully.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Compare the specific rusk variety and its label; a brand name alone won’t tell you which allergens the product contains.
Schär
Schär Zwieback is a rusk variety to consider if you’re looking for a product explicitly labelled gluten-free.
- Albert Heijn lists Schär Zwieback as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free.
- Check the pack you’re actually serving for other ingredients and allergens; lactose-free doesn’t automatically mean free from milk or egg.
Damhert
Damhert Nutrition has a gluten-free rusk variety that shows why it’s important to check for additional allergens.
- Jumbo lists the variety as gluten-free rusks.
- Jumbo’s listing names egg and milk as allergens and says this variety is no longer available in its online range.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten
A specific gluten-free rusk variety was listed under this product range.
- The product listing identifies Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Rusks, 120 g.
- Jumbo says the product is no longer available. Only choose an alternative after checking its own packaging.
Related products at Joybuy
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose rusks for someone with coeliac disease if I can’t see wheat in the ingredients?
Don’t choose based on that alone. Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the pack. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, this means no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg of food; also check the current ingredients and allergen information.
How should I serve gluten-free rusks alongside regular rusks?
Keep the gluten-free rusks separate from regular rusks and prevent contact with crumbs. Use clean hands, a clean work surface and separate utensils; keep the pack sealed until just before serving, and don’t use a shared dip that gluten-containing products have been dipped into.
Are gluten-free rusks also lactose-free or free from milk and egg?
No. Check these properties separately for each product. Albert Heijn lists Schär Zwieback as lactose-free, while Jumbo names egg and milk as allergens in one Damhert gluten-free rusk variety. Always check the label of the pack you choose against your guest’s requirements.
Do gluten-free rusks for dinner have to contain baker’s salt?
No, baker’s salt doesn’t determine whether rusks are gluten-free. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients if this matters to your choice, and assess whether the rusks are gluten-free separately by checking the label.