Regarding Gluten-Free at Aito Fresh
Dear Customers,
At Aito Fresh Restaurant (Citycenter Mall), we understand that many people want to avoid gluten for various reasons—whether due to celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or personal preference. We aim to offer choices that use no gluten-containing ingredients, but we must be transparent about potential cross-contamination risks.
Our Current Situation
Cross-Contamination
Our kitchen setup currently cannot guarantee a 100% gluten-free environment. While we can replace certain sauce ingredients (for example, using gluten-free soy sauce upon request), there is still a risk that traces of gluten may come into contact with your meal during preparation.
Ingredient Notes
Dish “Grilled Salmon Bowl” and “Salmon Bowl”
Yes - we can swap in gluten-free soy sauce and avoid any known gluten ingredients in “Grilled Salmon Bowl” and “Salmon Bowl”.
Other items in these bowls (e.g., salmon, rice, avocado, egg, corn, kimchi, peanuts, nori, and sesame seeds) are naturally free of gluten. However, they are not certified gluten-free, so cross-contamination may occur.
Tofu (Inari) Bowl
Our inari tofu contains soy sauce with wheat flour, making it not suitable for a gluten-free request.
Beef Bowl
Marinated using traditional soy sauce containing wheat flour. We currently cannot provide a gluten-free version.
About Rice and Quinoa
While rice and quinoa naturally do not contain gluten proteins, we do not have consistent access to suppliers who certify them as gluten-free. Possible cross-contamination can occur during post-harvest processing or transportation.
Our Commitment to Improvement
Staff Training
We continue to train our waiters and chefs about allergen control, proper handling of ingredients, and the importance of preventing cross-contact.
Future Sourcing
We are exploring more reliable suppliers for certified gluten-free products.
Customer Communication
We want to ensure you have clear, accurate information so you can make the best choices. We welcome questions about our ingredients and preparation methods.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and related grains. In the European Union, products labelled “gluten-free” must not exceed 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. Statements like “made with no gluten-containing ingredients” are not regulated at the same ppm threshold, so we always advise those with celiac disease or severe intolerance to ask us about handling and cross-contamination risks.
What is Celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the body mounts an immune response against gluten. When people with celiac disease ingest gluten, even in very small amounts.
What is “made with no gluten-containing ingredients”
Foods must generally contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten to be labelled “gluten-free.” In other words, the term “gluten-free” on food labels is only permissible when the gluten content does not exceed 20 parts per million (ppm). Any statement such as “made with no gluten-containing ingredients” is not formally regulated by a specific ppm threshold in the same way. In practice, the “made with no gluten-containing ingredients” statement implies: “No deliberate addition of wheat, barley, rye, or crossbred strains. No added ingredients that are derived from these cereals (e.g., wheat starch).” If cross-contamination occurs, a product labelled “made with no gluten-containing ingredients” could still be unsafe for individuals with celiac disease if the ppm of gluten is above 20. If a restaurant only states “no gluten-containing ingredients,” it must still be prepared to inform consumers about cross-contamination risks according to the actual situation.
Thank you for your patience as we work to expand our gluten-free offerings. We appreciate your feedback and strive to make Aito Fresh a welcoming dining experience for all. If you have any concerns or special requests, please let us know—our team will do their utmost to accommodate you safely.
