Andrew Ely, managing director, Almondy, said: “For coeliac disease sufferers, eating out can be challenging, as it can be for caterers who want to be confident they are delivering a safe gluten-free menu – especially given the new allergen legislation.
“It is near impossible to avoid gluten contamination in a commercial kitchen unless it is a 100% gluten-free site, which could prove highly dangerous for customers and costly for operators so careful consideration is needed when it comes to introducing coeliac friendly menu items, including desserts.”
Despite the growing awareness of coeliac disease and the gluten-free diet, the research also revealed that caterers are not meeting demands when it comes to their dessert menus.
41% of consumers find current gluten-free dessert offerings boring and tasteless while nearly one third of diners call for more gluten-free puddings when dining out; 60% of whom want to see between three and five options available.