Packaged food sold in Guatemala must always declare gluten cereals on the label. The Central American labelling regulation (RTCA) names wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt and their hybrids, and requires a trace warning after the ingredient list when gluten could be present unintentionally. Restaurant menus are another matter: the gluten-free tags below are each restaurant’s own wording. Four operators publish gluten-free options on their own pages, read on 31 October 2026.
This page covers what you can check yourself: the label rules, the Spanish words on the label, and the operators that put gluten-free options in writing. It is not medical advice. For bringing your own supplies, see bringing food into Guatemala.
What a packaged-food label must show
From the RTCA on general labelling of prepackaged foods, adopted by COMIECO Resolution 280-2012 of 14 May 2012 (MINECO is listed as Guatemala’s participating member), and COMIECO’s interpretation guide:
| Rule | What it requires | RTCA section |
|---|---|---|
| Always declare gluten cereals | Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt or their hybrid strains, and their products) must always be declared | 5.2.1.4 |
| Compound ingredients | A compound ingredient under 5% of the food need not list its sub-ingredients, except allergens such as gluten cereals | 5.2.1.3 |
| Trace warning | If an allergen could be present unintentionally, a phrase must follow the ingredient list saying so | 5.2.1.5 |
| Additives and processing aids | Their exemption from the ingredient list does not apply to allergens | 5.2.3.2 |
| How the warning is shown (guide) | A separate, highlighted statement (underlined, bold or otherwise emphasised) after the ingredient list; contiene trigo or contiene gluten are both acceptable | Guide, questions 4.10-4.11 |
| Scope | Prepackaged food offered to consumers or for catering use (restaurants, schools, hospitals and similar) and marketed in Central America; fermented and distilled alcoholic drinks are excluded | Sections 2 and 3.15 |
Spanish words on the label
| On the label | Meaning | Where the wording comes from |
|---|---|---|
| trigo | wheat | RTCA allergen list |
| centeno | rye | RTCA allergen list |
| cebada | barley | RTCA allergen list |
| avena | oats | RTCA allergen list |
| espelta | spelt | RTCA allergen list |
| contiene gluten / contiene trigo | contains gluten / contains wheat | Interpretation guide, 4.11 |
| Contiene trazas de… | contains traces of… | RTCA example, 5.2.1.5 |
| Elaborado en equipo que procesa… | made on equipment that processes… | RTCA example, 5.2.1.5 |
| podría contener trazas… | may contain traces… | RTCA example, 5.2.1.5 |
Maize (maíz) is not on the RTCA’s list of gluten cereals. The Celiac Disease Foundation warns that tortillas or tortilla chips that are not entirely corn-based may contain a wheat ingredient, so ask whether tortillas are made only from corn.
Operators that publish gluten-free options
Each row is from the operator’s own menu or FAQ, read 31 October 2026. Prices are as printed.
| Operator | Where | What its own page says |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Adentro | 6ta Ave. Sur #22, Antigua Guatemala | Dinner menu (5:30-9:00 p.m.) tags individual dishes Gluten free, including plantain tostones with shredded beef, yuca croquettes, shrimp ceviche, avocado salad, corn soup, chicken pepián, mushroom pepián, duck magret, and grilled dorado with shrimp |
| Samsara | Antigua Guatemala (its site also names San Marcos La Laguna) | Vegetarian and vegan menu; vegan gluten-free bread as an add-on at Q10; a rice-flour crepe as the gluten-free option for its shawarma (otherwise served in a flour tortilla or pita) |
| Los Moros, Porta Hotel Antigua | Antigua Guatemala | Two desserts marked sin gluten: arroz con tres leches (Q29) and rellenitos de plátano (Q28). Prices in quetzales; 12% service added. The menu asks guests to tell their server about any food allergy |
| Los Tarrales Natural Reserve | Patulul, Suchitepéquez | Its FAQ says the kitchen regularly accommodates gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and nut-free diets, if told before arrival, and that outside food is not permitted, with exceptions for small children. Its tour booking pages add that it confirms dietary requirements 48-72 hours before arrival. See our Los Tarrales page |
Two more sources on this site carry operator statements: the De La Gente pepián class in our Antigua cooking classes page says its main dish accommodates gluten-free diets, and our Antigua cafés guide notes cafés that describe gluten-free options.
What the menu tags do not tell you
| Check | What the sources show |
|---|---|
| Is the tag reliable? | 27 Adentro’s menu tags its seitan breast in chamomile and hibiscus sauce Gluten free. The Celiac Disease Foundation describes seitan as wheat gluten. Ask before ordering anything with seitan. |
| Cross-contact | None of the four operators’ pages captured on 31 October 2026 describes a separate preparation area, fryer or cross-contact procedure. The Celiac Disease Foundation stresses avoiding cross-contact when preparing gluten-free food. |
| Oats | The RTCA counts oats (avena) among gluten cereals to declare; the Celiac Disease Foundation advises choosing oats labelled gluten-free. |
| Corn tortillas | Maize is not on the RTCA gluten list, but the Celiac Disease Foundation warns that tortillas not made entirely from corn may contain wheat. |
| Service charge | Porta’s Los Moros adds 12% service; menu prices elsewhere are as printed. |
Before you order
- Packaged snacks: read the ingredient list and look for a highlighted contiene line and any trazas warning after it.
- Restaurants: treat a gluten-free tag as the start of the conversation, and ask about seitan, oats, flour tortillas and shared fryers.
- Lodges with set menus: tell them ahead. Los Tarrales’ tour booking pages say it confirms diets 48-72 hours before arrival.
Related
- Bringing food into Guatemala
- Travelers’ diarrhea in Guatemala: the CDC’s food advice for Guatemala
- Food and drink prices in Guatemala
- Best cafés with Wi-Fi in Antigua
Sources
- Reglamento Técnico Centroamericano, Etiquetado general de los alimentos previamente envasados (preenvasados), text hosted by Nicaragua’s Instituto de Protección y Sanidad Agropecuaria (IPSA): https://www.ipsa.gob.ni/Portals/0/1%20Inocuidad%20Alimentaria/Normativas%20Generales/ACTUALIZACION%20051217/Secci%C3%B3n%20Inocuidad%20pesca/Reglamento%20T%C3%A9cnico%20Centroamericano%20de%20Etiquetado%20General%20de%20los%20Alimentos%20Preenvasados.pdf (read 31 October 2026)
- Costa Rica Decreto 40454-MEIC-COMEX, publishing COMIECO’s interpretation guide for RTCA 67.01.07:10 and citing Resolution 280-2012 (COMIECO-LXII) of 14 May 2012, via FAOLEX: https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/cos176267.pdf (read 31 October 2026)
- 27 Adentro, menu: https://www.27adentro.com/en/menu?location=Antigua+Guatemala&menu=27-adentro (read 31 October 2026)
- Samsara, menu: https://www.samsara.com.gt/menu (read 31 October 2026)
- Porta Hotel Antigua, Los Moros restaurant menu: https://www.portahotelantigua.com/dining/los-moros-restaurant-menu (read 31 October 2026)
- Los Tarrales Natural Reserve, FAQ: https://www.tarralesreserve.com/faq (read 31 October 2026)
- Los Tarrales Natural Reserve, Morning Guided Birding Tour booking page (dining policy): https://www.tarralesreserve.com/service-page/morning-guided-birding-tour (read 31 October 2026)
- Celiac Disease Foundation, Sources of Gluten: https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/what-is-gluten/sources-of-gluten/ (read 31 October 2026)
This page is information, not medical advice. Information current as of 31 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do food labels in Guatemala have to show gluten?
Yes, for packaged food. The Central American Technical Regulation on general labelling of prepackaged foods (RTCA), which Guatemala’s Ministry of Economy (MINECO) took part in adopting, says cereals containing gluten, such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt or their hybrid strains and their products, must always be declared. If gluten could be present unintentionally, the label must add a phrase saying so after the ingredient list.
What Spanish words should a celiac look for on a Guatemalan label?
The RTCA’s list of gluten cereals uses trigo (wheat), centeno (rye), cebada (barley), avena (oats) and espelta (spelt). The COMIECO interpretation guide says a separate, highlighted statement must also follow the ingredient list, and that contiene gluten or contiene trigo are both acceptable wordings. Trace warnings take forms like Contiene trazas de, Elaborado en equipo que procesa or podría contener trazas.
Do restaurants in Guatemala have to label gluten-free dishes?
The RTCA’s scope, as written, is the labelling of prepackaged food, including food supplied prepackaged to restaurants. Gluten-free tags on restaurant menus are the restaurant’s own wording, so ask how a dish is prepared.
Which restaurants in Guatemala publish gluten-free options?
On their own pages, read 31 October 2026: 27 Adentro in Antigua tags dishes Gluten free on its dinner menu; Samsara in Antigua offers vegan gluten-free bread (Q10) and a rice-flour crepe as the gluten-free option for its shawarma; Porta Hotel Antigua’s Los Moros restaurant marks two desserts sin gluten; and Los Tarrales reserve in Patulul says in its FAQ that its kitchen accommodates gluten-free diets with notice before arrival.
Is a dish tagged gluten-free always safe for celiacs?
Not necessarily. 27 Adentro’s menu tags its seitan dish Gluten free, and the Celiac Disease Foundation describes seitan as wheat gluten. None of the four operators’ captured pages describes a cross-contact procedure. Ask the kitchen directly.
