Eating without gluten, with the endorsement of the Association of Celiacs and Sensitive to Gluten of Madrid.

2022/05/27

The "Eating without gluten" route of Everything is in Madrid (find it HERE ) is the first step of a new project to facilitate the daily life of people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity

This is a project promoted by the Madrid City Council, in collaboration with the Association for Celiacs and Gluten Sensitives, so that the group has better access to restaurants with safe gluten-free options.

The Association of Celiacs and Sensitive to Gluten and the General Directorate of Commerce and Hospitality of the Madrid City Council, through the Everything is in Madrid program, have launched the project "Eating without gluten", an initiative that aims to facilitate access by celiac and gluten-sensitive group to establishments that offer gluten-free dishes endorsed by the Association.

“Going out to eat safely outside the home is a pending issue for the group. Although there are more and more restaurants with gluten-free options on their menus, there is still a long way to go in terms of training in the restaurant sector” , explains Roberto Espina, director of the Association.

The first step of this project is the creation within the Everything is in Madrid program of the "eating gluten-free" route whose objective is the publication and dissemination of a directory of establishments, with safe options and supervised by the Association, to which the group has easy access when looking for a place to eat away from home.In this way, the Madrid City Council makes available to users a consultation space on its website both for residents of the city and for tourists who want to plan their visit.

Currently, there are a hundred affiliated establishments and all of them have an agreement with the Association for Celiacs and Gluten Sensitives, which means that the organization's Food Safety department has reviewed the ingredients, technical data sheets, facilities and procedures of the premises , in addition to training all their staff on how to offer safe gluten-free options. And, to ensure that new staff are also trained, the Association offers monthly training to these establishments.

From the Association they celebrate that every day there are more gluten-free options where you can enjoy outside the home, but, on this National Celiac Day, (May 27, 2022) they claim more interest from the restaurant sector to expand their offer to the celiac group and sensitive to gluten . "Offering safe gluten-free dishes is easier than it may seem, which is why we encourage restaurants to bet on integrating the group into their menus and join this Gluten-Free Route" , adds Espina.

  About celiac disease

Celiac disease is a pathology of immunological origin that is triggered in people who, in addition to presenting a genetic predisposition, react inappropriately to the gluten they eat with food. It affects 1% of the population and, even today, for every diagnosed patient there are between 5 and 8 undiagnosed. It can manifest at any age and affect any function of the body, not exclusively the digestive function. Many patients present mild digestive symptoms (gas, constipation, bloating...) while they suffer more severe endocrine, autoimmune, dermatological, reproductive, rheumatological or neurological problems.

About the gluten-free diet

Gluten is a complex protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Products that incorporate derivatives of these cereals as raw material, as an ingredient or as a contaminant should be avoided by celiac patients. Although the regulations regarding labeling have improved significantly, it remains to be adequately guaranteed gluten-free food in catering establishments, where ignorance on the part of the staff and the risk of cross-contamination are the great enemies when eating out. .

About the Association of Celiacs and Sensitive to Gluten:

The Association for Celiacs and Gluten Sensitives of the Community of Madrid is a private non-profit entity with more than 35 years of history and which currently has more than 9,000 members. It was declared of public utility in 1997 by the Ministry of the Interior. Its main lines of work are focused on providing support and advice to this group, providing specialized training to health professionals and the hospitality sector, promoting research and making the pathology known in society, all with the aim of improving the quality of life of patients.