More Than Just Food and Drink
When someone mentions free-from, thoughts are often limited to 'gluten-free' or only apply to food products. But there are so many other free-from options not on the table.
Only having an intolerance to a few of the 14 major allergens, I consider myself fortunate. I tested negative for Coeliac disease. However, if I consume gluten or dairy I am going to have an unpleasant 24 hours, but not likely to end up in A&E. With an additional nickel allergy, I am aware of what can happen. Prolonged contact, like a nickel buckle, will leave me with an open sore in a few hours. So when it comes to skincare and household items, certain considerations are being made. Free-from is being applied to more than just food.
Kokova Magazine looks to highlight and promote any number of items, from food to clothes, bedding to bath towels, air purifiers to scents - all of which can irritate or calm an intolerance or allergy, to help other people find ways to live without the discomfort caused by reactions. If you are lucky enough to live allergy-free, please consider that the person sitting at the next table asking the server many questions about the menu may be trying their hardest to enjoy a meal out, and not suffer any consequences. Many people may react to more allergens in varying degrees.
Everyone likes to eat out occasionally, so this weekend I am looking forward to a mini-break in Bratislava, where I know there is a restaurant that has no problems cooking meals from fresh while adapting the recipe to suit my intolerances. I will take my free-from skincare, and non-nickel jewellery along for the ride. And while I am away, I will be visiting the Yeme Gluten-free Bakery for lunch.
Join us in our hunt for all things free-from, and get in touch if you find something great you think we can share. Food businesses need to tell customers if any food they provide contains any of the listed allergens as an ingredient.
The 14 food allergens are: -
- celery
- cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats)
- crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs and lobsters)
- eggs
- fish
- lupin
- milk
- molluscs (such as mussels and oysters)
- mustard
- peanuts
- sesame
- soybeans
- sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if the sulphur dioxide and sulphites are at a concentration of more than ten parts per million)
- tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios and macadamia nuts)
This also applies to additives, processing aids and any other substances which are present in the final product.