Allo Cuisto Certified Gluten Free Restaurant in Dollard des Ormeaux (on the Island of Montreal)

On March 16th we held a meet and greet with CCA volunteers at Allo Cuisto, a certified GF dedicated restaurant and caterer on the West Island of Montreal. The CCA Quebec Chapter Board encourages everyone to please support GF certified establishments, they are committed to providing safe gluten-free options. For info on the program check-out https://gf-verified.com/finder/ and find certified establishments across Canada.

We had an absolutely delicious, guaranteed gluten-free, meal for a very reasonable price. Quality and price are well worth giving Allo Cuisto a try! They also have two wonderful services - catering and take out. If you are having a conference or meeting and need guaranteed gluten-free food give Wajihe Chef a call and see what can be arranged. They also have 5 meals for a set price that you can take out and freeze or use right away. While you are there take a look around as they also sell some interesting GF products, including frozen desserts and croissants. Chef Wajihe is a wonderful person who is enthusiastic and dedicated to bring safe, gluten free food to those who need it.

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Could this be another source of gluten?

From the GF Watchdog: “Gluten-Free Labeling: Are Growth Media Containing Wheat, Barley, and Rye Falling Through the Cracks?” has been made available online free of charge through December 11, 2018. Please click on the following link to access the article directly https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1XxRz7t0kPejF7 
Tricia Thompson thanks co-authors Melinda Dennis, MS, RDN and Luke Emerson for their hard work on this article.
For those who might like a summary of the article GF Watchdog has kindly provided one: https://bit.ly/2EKtjo3

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Understanding Celiac Disease - Dr. Justine Dowd

Thanks to Dr. Justine Dowd (University of Calgary) for her clear explanation: "Understanding Celiac Disease". She is an active health promoter, and presented her work the Canadian Celiac Association's National conference in Ottawa in June 2018. Check out a video of a recent interview:

Support having beer labelled with ingredients...

CCA asks public to support changes to beer standards regulation

Health Canada has proposed changes to the composition and labelling of beer products in Canada. The change will require beer manufacturer’s to declare any food allergens, gluten and sulphites on the product label. The celiac community is strongly encouraged to show its support for the proposed changes which will make it easier to identify safe food for consumption. See a sample response. Share with your family and friends.

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Is Gluten-Free Behind the Cauliflower Pizza Crust Boom?

Recently Pizza Pizza added cauliflower crust pizza to their menu and state that it is gluten-free: Pizza Pizza. They are the first Canadian pizza franchise to do so but likely others will follow given the interest in cauliflower crusts in the U.S.  Have you tried it yet?

Interesting story suggests the reason cauliflower crust has become so popular can be traced back to someone looking for a gluten-free alternative: How cauliflower became pizza's hottest ingredient.

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"May Contain" Labelling 101

CCA Sue’s Quick Fact of the Month

A note on “May Contain” labelling. 

A large food retailer in Canada adds “May contain wheat” warnings to virtually all of its house brand products.  Snack foods imported from some countries regularly list all 12 priority allergens on their ingredient lists. Products with a gluten-free claim also carry “may contain wheat” warnings (and this is encouraged by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency).  Almost all the ingredient labelling regulations in Canada are set by regulation but precautionary labels remain in the “optional” category.  No wonder people are confused about the words “May contain”. See more...