Pizzas sold as gluten-free at Espoo restaurants were gluten-free – minor shortcomings in marketing

A food product labelled gluten-free may contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. In 80% of the pizzas tested, the gluten content was significantly below the permitted limit. In 20% of the pizzas, the gluten content was close to the limit. Even in these cases, the permitted limit was not exceeded when measurement uncertainty was taken into account.  

Pizzas were ordered as regular consumers 

The pizzas were ordered as regular consumers through a food delivery service or the restaurants’ own websites. Ham, pineapple and blue cheese – or ingredients as similar as possible – were selected as toppings. 

The pizzas ordered were marketed as gluten-free. In addition, the order details stated that the customer followed a gluten-free diet and wanted the pizza to be gluten-free. 

The restaurants were informed that the pizza would be used for official testing only after the sample had been obtained. 

Minor shortcomings found in marketing 

According to the Finnish Food Authority’s guidelines, a product should be presented either as gluten-free or as a regular product. Alternatively, a restaurant may use the wording “made from gluten-free ingredients, but not gluten-free”. 

The investigation showed that some restaurants used expressions in their marketing of gluten-free pizzas that did not comply with the Finnish Food Authority’s guidelines. For example, the expression “we cannot guarantee that the product is completely gluten-free” was used. 

All the restaurants selected for the investigation were given guidance on preparing gluten-free pizzas and marketing gluten-free products.