Student's gluten-free McDonald's petition backed by thousands

The student has been eating the chain's burgers without the bun

A gluten-intolerant student has been "overwhelmed" by the response to her call for McDonald's to introduce gluten-free options in its UK branches.

More than 10,000 people have signed 22-year-old Chloe Radzikowski's petition to the fast food giant.

The trainee paramedic from Leigh said she was "shocked and angry" to find the chain offered more gluten-free options in European outlets than at home.

A McDonald's spokesman said UK staff all had "allergen awareness training".

This includes the "importance of preparing orders that have been customised from our standard menu", with items containing recognised allergens clearly labelled, he added.

Trainee paramedic Chloe Radzikowski found more gluten-free options abroad

Ms Radzikowski, a student paramedic, told BBC Radio Manchester she cut gluten from her diet last year after developing an intolerance and found her McDonald's menu options were limited.

"I think a lot of people think you're being picky, but it's a lot more than that, it's really scary knowing that you could get ill from eating", she said.

Gluten is a protein which can be found in grains like wheat and rye.

Foods that are made with flour, like bread, biscuits and pasta, contain gluten.

Ms Radzikowski said food choices were limited for those with coeliac disease - an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system attacks itself when gluten is eaten - or a gluten intolerance, meaning eating out could be a "challenging experience".

Limited menu

On a recent family holiday to Lanzarote she had packed "half a suitcase of food" thinking her intolerances would not be catered for.

But she discovered a range of gluten-free options were available in McDonald's Spanish restaurants, leaving her shocked and questioning why the same menu was not available in the UK.

Items on the UK McDonald's menu that are gluten-free include the fries, hash browns, fruit bags, carrot sticks and salad, as well as some desserts.

The restaurant says that due to the set up of their kitchens, they "cannot guarantee cross-contamination will not occur".

Burgers are not included on the list of gluten-free options.

"I don't see how it could be so hard when such a wide variety of people could benefit," Ms Radzikowski said.

"People that think you're being picky, but that's not the case at all."

The 22-year-old said she couldn't believe how many people had signed her petition, including an endorsement from Big Brother and the Only Way is Essex star Megan McKenna.

"I had no idea this was going to happen, I didn't want to be an activist but here we are."

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