If you plan to shop for gluten free foods in the Czech Republic and don’t speak the language, you’ll probably want to know what wording to look for on the packaging. How can you tell if a product is gluten free and if it contains any traces of gluten?
The Czech Republic follows the EU law that prescribes how foods must be labeled. It is relatively easy to establish whether or not a product is suitable for your particular diet. Ingredient labeling is generally clear and consistent. Below are the steps we follow when shopping for gluten free foods.
STEP 1: Look for clear wording on the packaging
Gluten free items that have been officially approved as gluten free must be marked with the words bez lepku (“without gluten), bezlepkové (“gluten free”) or neobsahuje lepek (“does not contain gluten“). It is our understanding that the law prohibits the use of the above wording on items that have not been approved (certified) as gluten free.
You’ll sometimes see the wording přirozeně bez lepku or přirozeně bezlepkový, which means “naturally gluten free”. This can be rice, millet, lentils, and other foods that don’t normally contain gluten. Keep in mind that these products are not certified as 100 % gluten free and may contain traces of gluten due to cross-contamination that could have occured during the manufacturing process.
STEP 2: Read the list of ingredients
If a food item contains any allergens, they must be printed in bold or must be underlined on the list of ingredients (in Czech Složení). Ingredients are usually listed on the back or on the side of the packaging. You may need to lift a flap on small items like snack bars. If gluten or wheat are part of the ingredients, they are usually mentioned as the first allergens on the list. Look for pšenice (wheat), pšeničný/-á/-é (made from wheat), lepek (gluten), ječmen (barley), žito (rye), oves (oats), špalda (spelt), obiloviny (grains/cereals).
STEP 3: Check for traces of gluten
If a product contains traces of any allergens, this will be stated after the ingredient list. The wording is usually Může obsahovat… (May contain…) or Může obsahovat stopy … (May contain traces of…). The sentence can look like this: Může obsahovat stopy lepku (gluten), pšenice (wheat), obilovin (gluten-containing grains), arašídů (peanuts), ořechů (nuts), mandlí (almonds) a jiných skořápkových plodů (and other nuts), sóji (soy), mléka (milk), vajec (eggs)…
BASIC TERMINOLOGY
Below is some basic terminology related to gluten and the gluten-free diet. Further on, you’ll find phrases that can be useful when ordering food at a restaurant.
lepek – gluten
bez lepku – without gluten
bezlepkový / bezlepková / bezlepkové – gluten free
přirozeně bezlepkový (-á / -é) – naturally gluten free
neobsahuje lepek – does not contain gluten
pšenice – wheat
žito – rye
ječmen – barley
oves – oats
ovesné vločky – oat flakes / rolled oats
jáhly – millet
pohanka – buckwheat
proso – millet
rýže – rice
kukuřice – corn
těstoviny – pasta
chléb – bread
pečivo – baked products
obiloviny – (gluten) cereals
bezlepkové pivo – gluten free beer
Může obsahovat stopy lepku / pšenice / obilovin. – May contain traces of gluten / wheat / cereals.
HELPFUL PHRASES
I have celiac disease. – Mám celiakii.
My son has celiac disease. – Můj syn má celiakii.
My daughter has celiac disease. – Moje dcera má celiakii.
I am allergic to gluten. – Mám alergii na lepek.
My son is allergic to gluten. – Můj syn má alergii na lepek.
My daghter is allergic to gluten. – Moje dcera má alergii na lepek.
I cannot eat gluten. – Nesmím jíst lepek.
My son cannot eat gluten. – Můj syn nesmí jíst lepek.
My daughter cannot eat gluten. – Moje dcera nesmí jíst lepek.
I cannot eat gluten or even traces of it. – Nesmím jíst lepek ani ve stopovém množství.
He / She cannot eat… – Nesmí jíst…
Do you have any gluten free meals? – Máte nějaká bezlepková jídla?
Can you make this meal without gluten? – Můžete připravit toto jídlo bez lepku?
Is this meal suitable for celiacs, i.e. does not contain gluten or any traces of it? – Je toto jídlo vhodné pro celiaky, tzn. neobsahuje ani stopy lepku?
I would like gluten free pasta instead of wheat pasta. – Prosím bezlepkové těstoviny místo pšeničných.
Do you have gluten free bread? – Máte bezlepkový chleba?
Do you have any gluten free desserts? – Máte nějaké bezlepkové zákusky?
Do you have gluten free beer? – Máte bezlepkové pivo?
Is your ice cream gluten free? – Je vaše zmrzlina bezlepková?
I would like a gluten free (ice cream) cone. – Prosím bezlepkový kornoutek.