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Gluten-free made easy: Lorca rolls out new coeliac-friendly seal for restaurants and shops
More than 30 Lorca businesses, including butchers, restaurants and takeaways, have joined the initiative
The Department of Health has just created a regulatory seal that will allow Lorca shoppers to see, at a glance, which establishments offer gluten-free products. Around 30 establishments, including restaurants, butchers and takeaways have already signed up to the free establishments, which aims to make dining out and grocery shopping much easier for coeliacs.
One in three adults with coeliac disease in Spain encounters problems following a gluten-free diet, according to a survey of 540 people from all autonomous communities in the country. Difficulty interpreting food labels and the high cost of speciality products are just two of the issues facing patients, but there’s also a serious lack of outlets that safely cater to coeliacs.
This is something which Lorca City Council, in conjunction with the Association of Coeliacs of the Region of Murcia (ACMU) and Hostelor, is trying to tackle.
Councillor for Health and Hospitality Belén Díaz stressed that “this campaign, which includes bars, restaurants, butchers and takeaway establishments, and which is completely free for participants, is a decisive step towards offering people with coeliac disease greater social integration and a better quality of life, while increasing the value of our hospitality offering, making Lorca a national benchmark”.
She added that the plan also includes training and advice for both kitchen staff and dining room staff, so that all workers at participating establishments can guarantee food safety.
“We want to offer them practical and effective tools, teaching them to adapt dishes and provide them with tricks and to follow protocols that guarantee food safety for people with coeliac disease. It is not just about eliminating gluten from recipes, but about understanding the importance of avoiding cross contamination," explained the councillor.
Once they’ve completed the training, the establishments will be awarded a 'Celiacosfriendly' regulatory seal that they can hang in their windows, so that customers can easily find businesses offering gluten-free products.
"This is a distinctive feature that is essential so that any coeliac person, whether they are from Lorca or a visitor, can choose a place to eat or buy food with the peace of mind of knowing that they are not at risk of suffering any type of poisoning," the councillor added.
The launch of this initiative not only represents a direct benefit for people with coeliac disease, but also promotes Lorca tourism, since "in a context where more and more people are looking for accessible destinations adapted to their needs, having this distinction in our hospitality or commercial establishments positions us as a city that takes care of all people, without exceptions."
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