A gluten-free bread mix with exotic overtones swept the board at the presentation of the first ever Free-from Food Awards last night. The awards were organised by allergy magazine, Foods Matter and were presented by Antony Worral Thompson.

The first ever Free-from Food Awards, organised by Foods Matter, the UK�s only magazine for those on restricted diets, were presented on May 21st by Antony Worrall Thompson at his Notting Grill restaurant in west London. A packed gathering of �free-from� food manufacturers and food writers sipped pink champagne and nibbled succulent gluten, dairy and egg-free canap�s while Foods Matter editor, Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, explained why Foods Matter had decided to launch the awards � and how their panel of judges had reached their conclusions. The awards were divided into nine categories � eight covering the main free-from sectors (gluten/wheat free, dairy free, egg free etc) and one award for the most innovative new free-from product reviewed in the magazine in the last year. For details of the winners and runners up, see below. The over all winner was presented with a fine marble bust by Scottish sculptor Tom Allan, commissioned for the awards by the Foundation for Allergy Research and Information (FAIR). Foods Matter has been delighted with the enormously enthusiastic response it has received to the awards from the food industry, food allergic and intolerant consumers and the press � and is already well into planning the Foods Matter Free-from Food Awards 2009! Winner of FAIR trophy for the Best Free-from Food - 2008 Roley�s teff flour mix A bread mix based on maize and teff flour. (Teff is a highly nutritious seed grown in the mountains of Ethiopia.) Unlike so many gluten-free breads the Roley's mix makes up (very easily) into a good looking, tasty and beautifully textured loaf, which remains fresh for several days after baking. 'If I didn't know, I would think it was normal bread' said one judge. 'Good rise, balanced flavour and good nutritional profile', 'great loaf for gluten avoiders', 'excellent texture and flavour � not crumbly like so many gluten-free breads', 'really good flavour with no aftertaste' and 'it would work equally well with sweet and savoury toppings' were among the other comments from the judges.

'Although it did not tick all of our allergy boxes (it does include milk and yeast although not egg or nut)', said Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, editor of Foods Matter, 'the Roley�s mix is an extremely successful example of a product (gluten-free bread) which is notoriously difficult to manufacture. Roley�s mix was easy to make, no more expensive than many �craft-baked� loaves, had a good nutritional profile and, almost unheard of for gluten-free bread, still tasted quite fresh and very edible two days later.'

Innovation Award Winner: Oatly Oat Cream

Pouring cream made from oats - so dairy, egg, wheat, soya, corn and nut free and, effectively, gluten free.

�Brilliant, a beautifully constructed product� said one judge. �Great mouthfeel - the consistency of pouring cream�, �pleasant, creamy, silky�, �slightly bland but an excellent accompaniment to any desert or pudding� were among the other comments.

�We finally chose the Oatly,� said Michelle, �because it was such a useful, flexible, reasonably priced product which tasted good and ticked all of our allergy boxes (oats now being acceptable for all but the most sensitive of coeliacs).�

Highly commended: GFree Savoury flans Commended: Tofutti Mozzarella style Grated Soya Cheese Individual Category Winners: Gluten-free breads and bread mixes Winner: Roley�s teff flour mix Highly commended: Il Pane di Anna Buckwheat Bread mix Commended: Tesco Free From Ciabatta Glutafin Select Fresh White Bread Gluten-free pastas, pizzas, pies and sauces Winner: MixWell gluten-free pizza mix Highly commended: JUVELA Gluten-Free Pizza Bases Commended: Morrison�s gluten-free penne Nomato Pasta Sauce Marks & Spencer gluten-free mince pies Gluten-free cereal bars and biscuits, sweet and savoury Winner: Mrs Crimbles coconut macaroons Highly commended: Doves Farm Hazelnut Cookies Commended: Glutafin Crackers Tesco Free From Cheese Crackers Lyme Regis Organic Seven Seed and Nut Bar Gluten-free cakes, muffins and puddings Winner: Gluten-free Kitchen Coffee & Walnut Sponge Highly commended: Livwell Gluten-free Christmas pudding Commended: Raspberry Creek Carrot Cake OK allergy friendly foods Almond & Apricot Cake Morrison�s Free-from Rich Fruit Cake Slices Dairy-free milks, spread and cheeses Winner: Delamere mature goat�s cheddar Highly commended: St Helen�s goat butter Commended: Pure Organic Spread Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese Garlic and herb

Dairy-free ice cream, chocolate, desserts and yogurt Winner: Swedish Glac� rich chocolate (soya �ice cream�) Highly commended: Swedish Glac� choc ices Commended: Woodlands Organic Sheep�s Milk Live yoghurt Sainsbury�s Free-from Vanilla custard B�Nice Non-Dairy Rice Cream Chocolate (rice based �ice cream�) Booja-Booja Hunky Punky Chocolate (cashew based �ice cream�) Wheat-free products Winner: Biona Wholemeal Rye Bread Highly commended: Nairn�s Stem Ginger Wheat Free Biscuits Commended: Biona Wholemeal Amaranth/Quinoa Rye Bread Village Bakery Four Organic Fruit Bars

Egg-free products Winner: Mrs Crimble�s Dutch Apple cake Highly commended: Nairn�s Stem Ginger Wheat Free Biscuits Commended: Biona Organic Honey Cake Wheat Free Doves Farm Organic Lemon Cookies Sainsbury�s freefrom Chocolate Chip Cookies Nut-free products Highly Commended: D & D Carob bars and Easter eggs It�s Nut Free Cherry Flapjack Kinnerton chocolate bars and eggs Contact details: B�Nice: www.beanieshealthfoods.co.uk

Biona: www.windmillorganics.com

Booja-Booja: www.boojabooja.com

D&D: www.d-dchocolates.com

Delamere: www.delameredairy.co.uk

Doves Farm: www.dovesfarm-glutenfree.co.uk / www.dovesfarm-organic.co.uk

GFree: www.gfree.co.uk

Glutafin: www.glutafin.co.uk

Il Pane di Anna: www.gffdirect.co.uk

It�s Nut Free: www.itsnutsfree.com Juvela: Phone: www.juvela.co.uk

Kinnerton: www.kinnerton.com

Livwell: +44 (0) 1757 289200

Lyme Regis: www.lymeregisfoods.com

Marks & Spencer: Website: www.marksandspencer.com

MixWell: www.drossa.co.uk

Morrison�s: www.morrisons.co.uk Mrs Crimble�s: www.mrscrimbles.com Nairn�s: www.nairns-oatcakes.com

Nomato: www.nomato.com

Oatly: www.oatly.com

OK Foods: www.ok-foods.co.uk Pure: www.puredairyfree.co.uk

Raspberry Creek: www.raspberrycreekfoods.co.uk

Roley�s: www.roleys.com Sainsbury�s: www.sainsburys.co.uk St Helen�s Farm: www.sthelensfarm.co.uk

Swedish Glac�: www.swedishglace.com

Tesco: Website: www.tesco.com

The Gluten-Free Kitchen: www.theglutenfreekitchen.co.uk

Tofutti: www.trianobrands.co.uk

Village Bakery: www.village-bakery.com

Woodlands: : www.woodlands-park.co.uk

-Ends-

For more information and images call Laura or Michelle: Tel: 020 7722 2866 Email: laura@foodsmatter.com / michelle@foodsmatter.com

www.freefromfoodawards.co.uk