For a wedding buffet catering for guests with coeliac disease, choose a specific product labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check how it will be prepared and served. Then select culinary coconut milk for cooking, a coconut drink to serve by the glass, or a ready-to-serve dessert. These formats are not interchangeable, and any other allergens must be checked separately.
You need to be able to identify the product used in every dish described as ‘gluten-free’ and provide clear information at the buffet. A recipe being ‘coconut-flavoured’ is not enough to establish that it is gluten-free.
You’re looking for culinary coconut milk for a sauce, curry or dessert, rather than a plant-based drink intended to be served by the glass.
You want to offer a coconut drink labelled ‘gluten-free’, while checking its exact ingredients and any other allergens, particularly if it contains soya.
For consumers considering a coconut option for a wedding buffet, the first step is to check which product will actually be served. Then make sure its format suits the recipe or how you plan to serve it.
| Criteria | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Gluten-free’ label | Check the label on the exact product you receive, then identify the ingredients in the finished dish. Under European Regulation 828/2014, ‘gluten-free’ means the food sold to the final consumer contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. | If a guest has coeliac disease, I want to know exactly which product is going into their dish before labelling it ‘gluten-free’. Around 42% of consumers would prioritise this check and the information given to guests. |
| Culinary format | Compare the product description, coconut content and fat per 100 ml. If the recipe calls for culinary coconut milk, choose a product intended for cooking. | For a sauce or dessert prepared on site, I need an ingredient suited to the recipe, not a drink chosen purely for its coconut flavour. Texture would be the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Serving style and other allergens | Tell the difference between a drink and a ready-to-serve dessert. Check the ingredients and allergens for each product, as well as its storage instructions. | If I’m planning a drinks station or individual desserts, I want serving to be simple, without confusing ‘gluten-free’ with being free from soya or other allergens. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise ease of serving and checking ingredients. |
The main ingredient alone is not enough to label a dish gluten-free. European Regulation 828/2014 governs this claim, including for non-prepacked food served in catering, as the European Commission points out.
Check the exact product used by the caterer or kitchen, and keep its packaging so you can identify the ingredients in the dish being served.
These formats have different compositions and uses. For example, Carrefour France product listings state that Carrefour Sensation contains 60% coconut extract and Ayam contains 74% coconut extracts. A plant-based drink is a different type of product.
Choose the format to suit the recipe or serving style, then check separately whether the exact product you buy is labelled ‘gluten-free’.
The Alpro soya, matcha and coconut drink listed by Carrefour France contains soya. A statement about gluten says nothing, by itself, about the product’s other ingredients or the finished dish.
Read the ingredients for every product and clearly identify relevant allergens in the buffet dishes.
If a recipe depends on a specific product, you need to be able to make it with the product you can actually get. Lidl France notes, for example, that its gluten-free products are available as special buys rather than as part of a permanent range.
Before finalising the menu, check availability with your chosen retailer and check the label again on any substitute product.
A retailer where you can compare culinary coconut milks and plant-based coconut drinks without treating them as the same format.
A brand to consider for plant-based coconut drinks, rather than as a direct alternative to culinary coconut milk.
A retailer to check for a finished plant-based dessert, rather than an ingredient for cooking.
A retailer where you’ll need to check the gluten-free range when planning your shopping.
No. Check that the exact product is labelled ‘gluten-free’ and review the ingredients in the dish being served. In the European Union, Regulation 828/2014 limits the ‘gluten-free’ claim to foods containing no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. The word ‘coconut’ alone does not meet this requirement.
No. Use culinary coconut milk for recipes that call for it, and a coconut drink to serve by the glass. Carrefour France’s listings state that Carrefour Sensation contains 60% coconut extract and Ayam contains 74%. These figures apply to those specific products, not to all coconut drinks or coconut milks.
Ask which coconut milk product they’ll use and how the finished dish will be identified. The European Commission states that the rules on the ‘gluten-free’ claim also apply to non-prepacked food served in catering. So choosing an ingredient with this label does not remove the need to check the finished dish.
No. Each label refers to a different characteristic. The Alpro soya, matcha and coconut drink, which is presented as gluten-free, contains soya. Meanwhile, the La Coop plant-based dessert stocked by Auchan carries separate ‘Gluten-Free’ and ‘Dairy-Free’ labels. Check the ingredients of the product you choose and the finished recipe.