Airline menus being stretched by dietary preferences

Special dietary needs are creating a nightmare for airline caterers as more passengers demand gluten-free, vegan or culturally specific meals. So extensive has the list of demands become from travellers, some airlines are now devising up to 35 different menus for flights. Chef Luke Mangan who designs meals for Virgin Australia's Business Class cabins, said there was no longer any such thing as one menu for all. "You've got to think of gluten free, vegetarian, diabetic - you just can't write a menu nowadays, you have to do 3 or 4," Mangan said. Or in the case of SIA, 35. The airline leads the pack with its range of variations to meet cultural or dietary needs, including an ulcer diet meal, post-weaning meal, vegetarian lacto-ovo, lactose-free, raw vegetable and high-fibre. <br/>