If you have coeliac disease, pre-selected, sealed, packaged taaitaai explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ is the easier option to check at the Christmas market. Always read the latest label and look out for any other allergens that matter to you. Only consider unwrapped taaitaai from a stall if you can get clear allergen information before buying and find out how the product is prepared and stored.
Wants to check before buying that the taaitaai is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and will also ask about how it is prepared at a Christmas market stall. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that cross-contamination with gluten must be prevented.
Needs the full ingredients and allergen information, as well as a gluten-free label. Products listed by Albert Heijn show why: Consenza contains gluten-free oats and almonds, while milk and lupin are listed for Maître Mathis.
Wants time to read the label and not have to rely on information from a single stall before eating. As these are seasonal products, it’s a good idea to check that your chosen product is available shortly before setting off.
Start by checking the gluten-free label on the current product, then look for any other relevant allergens and decide whether you’ll bring taaitaai with you or buy it at the market.
| What to check | Check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the current packaging to see whether the product is explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. Under EU Implementing Regulation 828/2014, this label may only be used if the food, as sold, contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to check what’s on the taaitaai label before eating it; around 50% of consumers put this check first. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and information about allergens that are present or may be present. Albert Heijn lists gluten-free oats and almonds for Consenza, and milk and lupin for Maître Mathis. | If I need to avoid something other than gluten, the full allergen information determines which taaitaai I can consider. This is the first thing around 30% of consumers take into account. |
| Availability and taking it with you | Check whether a packaged product is available before setting off. If you’re buying unwrapped taaitaai at the market, ask about the allergen information and how it is prepared before you buy. | If you don’t want to rely on what a stall has to offer, it’s better to choose a packaged product that you can check in advance; this is the main priority for around 20% of consumers. |
A product containing no wheat as an ingredient is not the same as one explicitly labelled gluten-free. Under EU Implementing Regulation 828/2014, food may only carry this label if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold.
Check the current packaging. For unwrapped taaitaai, ask for specific allergen information before buying rather than just asking about wheat.
Gluten-free taaitaai may contain ingredients you need to avoid for another reason. Albert Heijn lists gluten-free oats and almonds for Consenza; Maître Mathis lists milk and lupin, and says egg, nuts and sesame may also be present.
Compare the full information on the packaging with the ingredients that matter to you.
Albert Heijn lists Maître Mathis Taai taai glutenvrij as no longer in its range. Jumbo says that Gluten Free Bakery Holland Taai Taai Glutenvrij is no longer part of its online range.
Check availability shortly before setting off and, if necessary, take an alternative you’ve checked in advance.
With unwrapped taaitaai, it’s also important to consider how gluten is handled during preparation, storage and display. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns about cross-contamination.
Before buying, ask the seller about both allergen information and how the product is prepared and stored. If the answers aren’t clear, choose a sealed, packaged product with a label you can check.
Albert Heijn lists Consenza Taai taai poppetjes gluten free as an organic, gluten-free taaitaai product weighing 125 g.
Albert Heijn has a listing for Maître Mathis Taai taai glutenvrij, weighing 125 g.
Jumbo has a product listing for Gluten Free Bakery Holland Taai Taai Glutenvrij, weighing 130 g.
No. The product name doesn’t tell you whether taaitaai is gluten-free. Check for an explicit gluten-free label and read the current packaging. Under EU Implementing Regulation 828/2014, products carrying this label must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold.
No, gluten-free doesn’t mean oat-free. Albert Heijn lists gluten-free oats and almonds as ingredients in Consenza Taai taai poppetjes gluten free. If you need to avoid either ingredient, check the current packaging.
Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for unwrapped food must be available where the product is offered for sale. Ask before you buy, and ask for more detail if the information isn’t clear.
Not necessarily: cross-contamination during preparation, storage or display also matters. Ask how the stall prevents it. If you don’t get a clear answer, it’s better to choose a sealed, packaged product with a gluten-free label you can check.
