Who is this choice relevant to?

Shoppers with a severe food allergy

Before buying, you need to be able to check the ingredients, allergens present and any warnings about cross-contamination for the exact bread you’re considering.

Shoppers avoiding sesame, soya or gluten

You want to know which seeds and cereals are in the bread, even if they aren’t visible on the outside. The term wholemeal doesn’t mean that sesame, soya or cereals containing gluten are absent.

Shoppers who choose seeds and fibre afterwards

If the allergen information suits your needs, you can compare the seed mix, texture and nutritional information per 100 g.

What should you look for when buying?

Start with the allergen information for the exact bread. Then check the ingredients you specifically avoid, and only after that compare the other product features.

What to check What to check when buying Who it matters to
Current allergen information Read the packaging for the exact bread and check both the allergens present and any precautionary warnings. If the bread is sold unpackaged, ask for its allergen information before buying. With freshly baked bread, I also want to be able to check which allergens it contains and how to assess a cross-contamination warning. For around 50% of consumers, checking the information for the specific product comes first.
Specific seeds and cereals Check the full ingredients list for the allergens you avoid, such as sesame, soya, wheat or other cereals containing gluten. If I need to avoid sesame or a particular cereal, I want to know whether it’s also in the dough, rather than just looking at the topping. Around 30% of consumers prioritise avoiding a specific ingredient like this.
Seeds, fibre and texture Once you’ve checked the allergens, compare the seed mix and, if it’s relevant to your choice, the nutritional information per 100 g. When a bread is suitable for me from an allergen point of view, I can choose the seeds and texture I prefer. For around 20% of consumers, this next step gets the most attention.

Common mistakes

  • Relying on the bread’s name to check its allergens

    The words “with seeds” don’t tell you everything that’s in the dough. The seeded breads reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS also list allergens such as cereals containing gluten, soya and sesame.

    Read the full ingredients list and allergen information for the bread you’re actually buying.

  • Assuming there’s no risk if freshly baked bread has no warning

    Jumbo says that cross-contamination is not stated on the label for freshly baked products packaged in store and cannot be ruled out. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information about allergens present in unpackaged food must be available before purchase.

    Ask at the bakery counter for information about the exact product, and assess precautionary warnings in line with your personal allergy plan.

  • Confusing nutritional values with allergen information

    A fibre value or a claim such as reduced carbohydrate doesn’t tell you which allergens are present. The reduced-carbohydrate bread reviewed from PLUS lists, among other things, cereals containing gluten, soya and sesame, as well as possible traces of other allergens.

    Check the allergens first; only then compare nutritional information and texture.

  • Assuming every loaf contains iodised baker’s salt

    The Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foods defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt. This doesn’t tell you which salt was used in a particular loaf or how much iodine it contains.

    Check the current packaging for the ingredients used in the specific bread.

Stores and brands to consider

Use a retailer’s information to check a specific loaf, not to assume that an entire bakery section is suitable for someone with an allergy.

Albert Heijn

The product information for AH Les Pains Bastille heel lists seeds and allergens present, including sesame, soya and cereals containing gluten.

  • You can view the ingredients and allergens online for this specific bread.
  • Albert Heijn warns that product information can change, so check the packaging too.

Jumbo

For Jumbo Rond Korn Volkoren, you can view the listed ingredients and allergens for this bread with seeds and kernels.

  • The product information distinguishes between allergens present and other potential allergens.
  • Jumbo states that cross-contamination is not shown on the label for freshly baked products packaged in store and cannot be ruled out.

PLUS

The page for PLUS Korenlanders Koolhydraat 40% verlaagd vloer heel lists seeds, allergens present and possible traces.

  • Sesame, linseed and sunflower seeds are listed for this specific bread.
  • This is a reduced-carbohydrate product; check the current packaging before comparing it with another bread.

Lidl

Lidl provides an ingredients and allergen guide for its freshly baked bread range.

  • The guide gives you a way to look up information about freshly baked bread.
  • Check that the information relates to the exact bread you want to buy, and ask in store if you need clarification.

Aldi

Aldi describes its freshly baked multigrain bread as containing cereals and seeds, and directs customers to allergen information for bake-off products.

  • There’s a way to check allergen information for bake-off products.
  • Check that the information applies to the specific seeded wholemeal bread in front of you.

Dirk

Dirk stocks wholemeal breads. The name of a bread alone isn’t an allergen declaration.

  • The bread listing can help you identify the product in store.
  • Ask for allergen information for the exact bread and check the packaging if it’s available.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is seeded wholemeal bread automatically suitable if I avoid gluten, sesame or soya?

No. The terms wholemeal and with seeds don’t rule out those ingredients. The breads reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list cereals containing gluten, soya and sesame; always check the current information for the exact product.

Can I ask about allergens in unpackaged bread before I buy it?

Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information about allergens present in unpackaged foods must be available before purchase. Ask at the bakery counter for information about the bread you want to buy.

Does “may contain” mean that an allergen is an ingredient?

No. An ingredient or an allergen listed as present is different from a precautionary warning about possible presence. Assess both types of information against the allergens you need to avoid.

Is an online allergen filter enough to choose a loaf?

No. Use a filter to find products, then check the current information for the bread you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that product information can change, so also check the packaging or ask in store for the right information.

Does every seeded wholemeal bread contain the same amount of iodine?

You can’t tell from the type of bread or the claim that it contains seeds. The Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foods defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt, but that doesn’t establish which salt or how much iodine is in a particular loaf. Check the ingredients list for the specific product.