BERTRAND Food is an EU-certified organic food operation. It is periodically inspected in at least three independent locations. These checks occur as both registered and unregistered in all business units. This creates high quality and increases the traceability, transparency, and the trust in our products. In the blog series, “QS”, we introduce various aspects of quality assurance at BERTRAND Food.

Today it is about guaranteeing the gluten-free quality of our products

Wherever “gluten-free” is indicated, no amount of gluten can be present. What seems a simple truth requires diligence and precise documentation.

Gluten

Gluten or gluten protein is a general term for a mixture of substances made from proteins that are found in some types of grains. In people with a gluten intolerance, the consumption of gluten leads to an inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. This causes the intestinal villi to atrophy. Through this shrinkage of the surface of the small intestine, not enough nutrients can be absorbed. During the course of the disease, a nutrient deficit arises which can cause a series of symptoms.

Gluten in the ingredients?

None of the ingredients in BERTRAND contain naturally occurring gluten. However, cross-contamination with gluten frequently occurs in operations in which various grains are being processed. Oats are gluten-free by nature but are so strongly affected by this process that they are no longer an option for people with gluten intolerance. Though most people with gluten intolerance can include “clean” oats into their diets since the protein structure of the oat differs from those of wheat, rye, and spelt. In England, the US, and in Scandinavia (especially Finland), contamination-free oats have been used for a long time in gluten-free diets.

Gluten-free at BERTRAND

In order to guarantee gluten-free at BERTRAND, we have decided to only deploy sensitive raw goods from our suppliers that were certified by the AOECS and who subject themselves to periodic, independent inspections. The oat for our gluten-free oatmeal is grown in a special project by a partner from the Demeter alliance of producers in North Germany. This oat is free from impurities stemming from contact with gluten-containing grains. It remains pure in cultivation as well as in processing.

In addition, we have our products checked in regular cross-checks with the independent INTERTEK testing institute in Bremen. In this way, we can ensure the quality of your product through certified suppliers and a rigorous and open process in dealing with gluten-containing raw goods from storage to production. That is only one of the advantages of a modern quality management system. Are you interested in this topic? Then follow us on Facebook or Twitter and don’t miss out on any more QS entries.