Is a wheat allergy the same as coeliac disease?

No. A wheat allergy is an allergic reaction to wheat proteins and can cause anaphylaxis. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune reaction to gluten in wheat, barley and rye that damages the gut.

Is spelt safe for a wheat allergy?

No. Spelt is a type of wheat, and EU law lists it under cereals containing gluten.

Are oats gluten-free?

Oats are often contaminated with wheat and are listed in Annex II. Only oats labelled gluten-free, at 20 mg/kg or less, are suitable for most people with coeliac disease.

Do pastizzi contain gluten?

Yes. Traditional pastizzi are made with wheat-flour pastry, so they contain gluten.

Allergy to wheat, coeliac disease and gluten: what restaurants need to know

By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

The short answer

An allergy to wheat is an immune reaction to wheat proteins and can cause symptoms from hives to anaphylaxis. Coeliac disease is different: an autoimmune reaction to gluten, found in wheat, barley and rye, which damages the gut. In EU law the allergen is 'cereals containing gluten': wheat (including spelt and khorasan), rye, barley and oats. A wheat-allergic guest may tolerate barley or rye, while a guest with coeliac disease must avoid all gluten, including traces.

Wheat allergy, coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity

Three different conditions lead guests to avoid wheat or gluten, and they need different things from a kitchen.

Wheat allergy, coeliac disease and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity compared
	Wheat allergy	Coeliac disease	Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity
What happens	Allergic reaction to wheat proteins	Autoimmune damage to the gut from gluten	Symptoms after eating gluten without coeliac disease or allergy
Grains to avoid	Wheat (may tolerate barley, rye, oats)	Wheat, barley, rye; oats unless certified gluten-free	Varies
Traces	Can matter	Matter: strict avoidance	Usually less critical
Can be severe	Yes, including anaphylaxis	Long-term harm, not anaphylaxis	No

Which cereals contain gluten

Annex II lists 'cereals containing gluten, namely: wheat (such as spelt and khorasan wheat), rye, barley, oats or their hybridised strains, and products thereof'. Spelt, kamut (a khorasan wheat), durum, semolina, bulgur, couscous, farro and freekeh are all wheat. Triticale is a wheat and rye hybrid.

Oats do not contain wheat gluten, but they are often contaminated with wheat during growing and milling, and a small number of people with coeliac disease react to oat protein itself. Only oats labelled gluten-free meet the 20 mg/kg threshold.

Rice, maize (corn), potato, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, sorghum, teff and amaranth are naturally gluten-free, but bought-in products made from them can still be contaminated, so check the label.

Where wheat and gluten hide on a Maltese menu

Pastizzi, qassatat and timpana: wheat-flour pastry.
Ħobż and ftira: wheat bread, often served with every meal.
Imqarrun il-forn and ross il-forn: baked pasta, and some baked rice uses stock or binders with gluten.
Soups such as minestra: may contain pasta or be thickened with flour.
Sauces and gravies thickened with flour or a roux.
Soy sauce: most is brewed with wheat.
Fried food: batter, breadcrumbs, and fryer oil shared with breaded items.
Beer: brewed from barley.
Bought-in stock cubes, seasonings and sausages: may contain wheat flour or rusk.

Cross-contact controls for guests with coeliac disease

For coeliac guests, the dish must not just be made without gluten ingredients: it must avoid picking up gluten during preparation. The common failure points are shared fryer oil, pasta water, toasters, flour in the air in a pizza kitchen, and boards or knives used for bread.

Use a dedicated fryer, or no fried food, for coeliac guests.
Cook gluten-free pasta in fresh water in a clean pan.
Use a clean toaster, or toast in a clean pan or on foil.
Prepare gluten-free food first, on cleaned surfaces with clean utensils.
In a pizza kitchen with airborne flour, be honest about the risk.

When you can say 'gluten-free'

Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, 'gluten-free' means the food as sold contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. A restaurant using that wording is making that claim. If your controls cannot reliably achieve it, use 'made without gluten-containing ingredients' and explain the cross-contact risk instead. Guests with coeliac disease value an honest description more than a claim the kitchen cannot back up.

Questions guests may ask, and honest answers

Guests avoiding gluten often ask the same few questions. Is the fryer shared? Is the pasta cooked in separate water? Is the bread toasted on a separate toaster? Is the sauce thickened with flour? Staff should be able to answer each from the written record and kitchen practice, not from memory. If the answer is uncertain, check with the kitchen before the guest orders.

A clear 'no, the fryer is shared with breaded food' helps a coeliac guest choose safely. A vague 'it should be fine' does not. The aim is accurate information, not reassurance. Record each guest's answer on the order ticket so the kitchen knows how strict the cross-contact controls must be for that table.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.