Anyone hosting an Easter brunch for a guest with coeliac disease
You’re looking for rusks with a clear gluten-free label on the packaging, and want to serve them separately from standard brunch food.
Who is this relevant to?
Anyone catering for several food allergies
As well as checking for gluten, you’ll need to check the ingredients and allergens in your chosen rusks, spreads and other brunch foods.
Anyone relying on what’s in stock at a particular shop
You want to know before you shop whether gluten-free rusks are available, and what other gluten-free brunch product you could use if they aren’t.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the gluten-free label for your guest with coeliac disease. Then check for other allergens and make sure the product you want to serve at brunch is available.
| What to check | Check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the packaging of the rusks you’ve chosen for the words ‘gluten-free’. | If I’m buying rusks for a guest with coeliac disease, I want to be able to rely on the label on the product itself. For around 50% of consumers, the gluten-free label comes first. |
| Other allergens | Check the ingredients and listed allergens in the rusks, and check the spreads separately. | If anyone at the table has other allergies, I need to know whether the rusks and spreads are suitable. For around 20% of consumers, checking for other allergens comes first. |
| Availability and how to serve | Check the shop’s current range and, if necessary, choose another packaged gluten-free brunch product. | When I’m planning the brunch shopping, I want to be able to buy something that’s available in time and suits the menu. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this practical choice. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘gluten-free’ means ‘free from all allergens’
Gluten-free rusks can still contain other allergens. For example, Jumbo’s product listing for Damhert Beschuiten Biscottes names egg and milk.
Read the allergen information on the packaging you buy, and check butter, spreads and other toppings separately.
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Assuming a product listing means it’s currently available
Jumbo’s listings for Damhert Beschuiten Biscottes and Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit state that these products are no longer part of its online range.
Check your shop’s range just before you go shopping. Keep another packaged gluten-free bread or brunch product in mind as a back-up.
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Assuming all rusks contain iodised salt
A rule about bakers’ salt doesn’t tell you which ingredients are in a particular packet of rusks.
If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the ingredients list of the product you’ve selected.
Brands compared
Schär
Albert Heijn and PLUS list 175 g Schär Zwieback as gluten-free rusks.
- Albert Heijn also lists these Zwieback as wheat-free and lactose-free.
- Those qualities don’t automatically apply to other Schär products. Check the packaging and availability at your shop.
Damhert
Damhert has a listing for gluten-free Beschuiten Biscottes, but Jumbo and Albert Heijn show the products checked as no longer available in their online ranges.
- The product listing can help you compare the ingredients in this particular type of rusk.
- Jumbo lists egg and milk in Beschuiten Biscottes. Check for other allergens and confirm current availability before choosing these rusks.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten
Jumbo has a product listing for 120 g Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit.
- The listing makes it clear which own-brand rusks are being referred to.
- Jumbo states that this product is no longer part of its online range. Check what’s currently available before doing your Easter shopping.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Are ordinary rusks automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease?
No. Choose rusks whose packaging says ‘gluten-free’. Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 sets a maximum of 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold for products carrying that label.
Should I check for other allergens in gluten-free rusks too?
Yes. Gluten-free doesn’t mean a product is free from allergens such as egg or milk. Read the allergen information on the packaging you’ve chosen and check the toppings too. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels.
What can I serve if I can’t buy gluten-free rusks?
Another packaged gluten-free bread or brunch product could be an alternative, but it won’t have the same shape as rusks. Check its gluten-free label and allergens on the packaging too, and see what your shop has available before you go shopping.
Do the rules for bakers’ salt mean that all rusks contain iodine?
No. A general rule about bakers’ salt doesn’t confirm that a particular product contains iodised salt. If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on the rusks.