Dietary FAQ's

GLUTEN

Q. Are the chocolates gluten free?
A. All of our chocolates, including the Florentines, are gluten free.

Q. On the label, there is the ingredient 'glucose syrup (wheat)'. Doesn't that mean these products contain gluten?
A. Glucose syrup is a complex material of assorted saccharides (sugars). It is typically made from wheat or corn (Corn Syrup in the United States), but is chemically identical for nutritional purposes, irrespective of the source. It is rated by the Coeliac Society of Australia as being gluten free.

Q. If it is gluten free, why do you bother listing it as glucose syrup (wheat)?
A. We are required by law to list all ingredients used in our products.

VEGETABLE FATS

Q. Do any of your products contain vegetable fats?
A. No. It has been a firm policy since the inception of Mayfield Chocolates that no vegetable fat would be used in any product. You won't find anything hydrogenated in our chocolates.

Q. Isn't cocoa butter a vegetable fat?
A. Cocoa butter is required by law to be distinguished from vegetable fats (made from soy beans and coconut oil for example), because of its unique physiological characteristics, and also because it is the only fat derived from the cocoa plant itself.

ANIMAL & DAIRY FATS

Q. Do you use animal fats?
A. No. Much like with the vegetable fats, at Mayfield Chocolates, we have a policy not to use animal fats in our products.

Q. But you use fresh cream and other dairy products. Don't they contain animal fats?
A. Dairy products contain dairy fats, which, by law, are defined separately from animal fats. Animal fats are found in products like lard and some shortenings used in baking and (in small quantities) in gelatine. Dairy fats are found in dairy products only.

KOSHER/HALAL

Q. Are Mayfield Chocolates products certified kosher/halal?
A. No. Although some ingredients used are certified kosher, the great variety of standards observed by different certifying authorities has deterred us from obtaining certification until now. However, we have had a rabbi inspect our production and products. The observations made were that in principle, everything would qualify as being kosher, except for those chocolates containing wine-based products, namely brandy and port. The red sugar berries on the Christmas Truffles also had to be checked out.

DIABETICS

Q. Do you sell diabetic chocolate?
A. No. At this point, we do not have any sugar free chocolate.

PRESERVATIVES

Q. Do you use preservatives?
A. No, and it is forbidden by law to add preservatives to chocolates. Some of the ingredients used in the chocolates (ex. port wine, glaceed cherries) may contain preservatives.

If it is important for you to know which chocolates contain ingredients with preservatives, please Contact Us.

PEANUTS

Q. Are your products free of peanuts?
A. We do not use peanuts in any of our products. However, we cannot guarantee that the all the ingredients we add to our chocolates are peanut free. Traces may be present.

ALCOHOL

Q. Which chocolates do not contain alcoholic ingredients?
A. That's easy. Just go to the non-alcoholic category for a listing. You can order just these, if you like, loose or in a gift box.

DAIRY FREE/VEGAN CHOCOLATES

Q. Do you have any dairy free chocolates?
A. Yes! We have several dairy free/vegan options for those of our customers who cannot have dairy in their food. However, they might contain traces of dairy and are not certified as being completely free of any trace of dairy. Like any food allergen, please consult your doctor about whether you are able to safely consume trace amounts of dairy.

You can find our dairy free options here. Furthermore, from time to time, we may have additional dairy free/vegan options available in our retail stores.

EGGS

Q. Do any of your products contain eggs?
A. No.

SOYA

Q. Are your chocolates soya free?
A. All of the chocolates contain a very small amount of lecithin, derived from soya. We do not use any other soya products such as soya flour or soya bean paste. If you have a severe allergy to soya, we would suggest that you ask your doctor whether your condition is critical enough to be affected by lecithin.

METALLIC COLOURINGS

Q. Why don't you use metallic colourings?
A. Colourings such as iron oxide and aluminium potassium silicate can look interesting, but we avoid them.

NOVELTIES AND HOLIDAY CHOCOLATES

Q. Are all of your products made with the same chocolate?

A. Yes! We use all of the same chocolate in our products. For example, our Easter Bunnies and Eggs are made with the same couverture chocolate used in our loose chocolates, so you can rest assured that they will be the same high quality and taste.