Updated online training to meet the needs of gluten free market

Coeliac UK is urging caterers to take advantage of the charity’s fifty years of insight into all things gluten free, through its updated online training course.

Since the charity first launched the interactive online course in 2014, nearly 7000 people working across a wide range of industries have completed the course.

A new version of the course has been launched this week, providing improved usability to enhance the learning experience, as well as allowing participants to track progress against each module and enabling companies to be more in control of their staff training.

Hilary Croft, chief executive of Coeliac UK explained: “Research shows that people with coeliac disease – and the family and friends they eat out with – are currently worth a potential £100 million a year to venues that can cater for them, so this figure is likely to rise.

“However, it is important for all caterers to ensure they are confident and knowledgeable on how to safely cater for the gluten free diet within the law and, for just £70, our newly revised online training course provides essential information to train staff for this expanding gluten free market.”

The course, which takes approximately one and half hours to complete, is suitable for all food industry professionals in both the private and public sectors and provides in depth training on:

•  understanding coeliac disease and the gluten free diet
•  the law on gluten free
•  choosing the right ingredients and gluten free storage
•  preparing and cooking gluten free food
•  cleaning and personal hygiene
•  communicating with staff and customers
•  monitoring gluten free procedures.

On successful completion of the training, a personalised certificate from Coeliac UK can be download to be displayed or added to training records. Individual access to the training costs £70 and can be purchased from: www.glutenfreetraining.org. If an organisation needs to train multiple staff and monitor their progress this can be arranged by contacting: [email protected]

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system damages the lining of the small bowel when gluten, a protein (found in wheat, barley and rye) is eaten.

1 in 100 people in the UK has coeliac disease but only 30% of those with the condition have been diagnosed.

There are an estimated half a million people in the UK who have the condition yet don’t know it.