QS – Gluten-Free Products

BERTRAND Food is an EU-certified organic company that is regularly inspected by at least three independent bodies—both with and without prior notice—in all areas of the business. This ensures high quality and enhances the traceability, transparency, and trustworthiness of our products. In the “QS” blog series, we present various aspects of quality assurance at BERTRAND Food.

Today, we’re focusing on ensuring that our products are gluten-free.

Wherever “gluten-free” is stated, the product must not contain any gluten. However, what may seem like a simple truth requires careful planning and precise documentation.

Gluten

Gluten, or gliadin, is a collective term for a mixture of proteins found in the seeds of some types of grain. In people with gluten intolerance, consuming gluten causes inflammation of the intestinal lining. As a result, the intestinal villi shrink. As the surface area of the small intestine decreases, it can no longer absorb sufficient nutrients. Over the course of the condition, this leads to nutrient deficiencies that can trigger a range of symptoms.

Gluten in the ingredients?

None of the ingredients in BERTRAND naturally contains gluten. However, in facilities where different grains are processed, cross-contamination with gluten often occurs. Oats are naturally gluten-free, for example, but are often so heavily contaminated that they are not an option for people with gluten intolerance. However, most people with gluten intolerance can include “clean” oats in their diet because the protein structure of oats differs from that of wheat, rye, and spelt. In England, the USA, and Scandinavia (especially Finland), contamination-free oats have been used in gluten-free diets for some time.

Gluten-free BERTRAND

To guarantee that BERTRAND is gluten-free, we decided to use exclusively sensitive raw materials from suppliers throughout our entire production process who have been AOECS certified and are therefore subject to regular independent inspections. The oats for our gluten-free rolled oats are grown as part of a special project by a partner from the Demeter Producers’ Association of Northern Germany. These oats are free from contamination with gluten-containing grains both during cultivation and processing. In addition, we have our products tested regularly through cross-checks at the independent INTERTEK testing institute in Bremen.
This is how we ensure the quality of your product through certified suppliers and the strict exclusion of raw materials containing gluten from storage and production.

This is just one of the benefits of a modern quality management system. Interested in the topic? Then follow us on Facebook or Twitter too and never miss another QS post.