Feedmeallergyfree

A few weeks ago, I received a package of goodies in the post from Free to Enjoy.

General Info
According to their press release, Free to Enjoy has launched a range of wheat and gluten free products which allows those with food constraints to enjoy real treats, the same as everyone else.

Their product range consists of the following and I’ve been lucky enough to receive one of each for sampling!

• Jaffa Cakes
• Mini Cheddar Crackers
• Indulgent Biscuit selection pack
• Frosted Flakes breakfast cereal
• Honey Nut Flakes breakfast cereal.

My first impressions are very good. In terms of products, they all sound very appealing and the packaging makes them look very tempting indeed.

Free From What?
The Free to Enjoy range is wheat and gluten free.

Again according to the press release, the Jaffa Cakes contain lupine flour which is suitable for coeliacs. As I’ve not come across lupine flour before, I thought I’d look it up.

On the InformAll Database*, it states the following about lupin:
“Lupin is peanut’s closest relative amongst foods and it has been estimated that approximately 50% of individuals with peanut allergy can react to lupin….”

Obviously, the Free to Enjoy range is meant to be wheat and gluten free and are not trying to be free from all allergens. A couple of the products actively include nuts and most of the non-nut products have a statement along the lines of “Due to the methods, this product may contain traces of nuts and sesame seeds.”

However, I thought that this was worth pointing out to people just in case. On the other hand, the Mini Cheddar Crackers do state “no gluten, wheat, sesame seeds or nut ingredients and it has been made in a wheat, gluten, sesame seed and nut free environment.”

Taste Test

Jaffa Cakes – overall verdict: delicious!
They look and very nearly taste like the real thing! I would say they are slightly more solid and less spongy than the real thing. They are mini sized and I can imagine become very moreish!

Indulgent Biscuit Deelights – overall verdict: top marks!
This comes across as a very nice box of biscuits – it contains a good variety and is a good option if you’ve got people over for coffee.

Mini Cheddar Crackers – overall verdict: very tasty!
Again, these were very tasty and came very close to the originals!

As you can probably tell, I really enjoyed testing the Free to Enjoy range and would recommend them to anyone looking for such products on a wheat free diet.

*InformAll Database – a searchable database with information on allergenic foods which has been developed with funding from the European Union. Found at http://foodallergens.ifr.ac.uk/default.html