THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GLUTEN-FREE FOOD LABEL READING
Gluten-free label reading can be overwhelming at first, especially if you do not know what to look for. To help, we put together some basic information about reading nutrition labels and spotting gluten-containing ingredients. Follow these easy rules and soon you will be reading labels like a pro.
Which Foods Naturally Contain Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a cross of wheat and rye). It is important to remember that kamut, einkorn, and spelt are varieties of wheat and are not safe for those with Celiac disease.
Six Words to Look for on Food Labels
By being alert for the words wheat, barley, rye, oats (not marked as gluten free), malt, and brewer’s yeast you will find 99% of problem foods. Oats do not contain gluten, but they are often cross contaminated, so it is better to eat oats labeled as gluten free.
Barley and malt are the most challenging ingredients from the above list. Malt is made from barley. This may turn up on labels as malt, malt flavoring, malt syrup, and malt vinegar. Traditional vinegar is safe for a gluten free diet but not malt vinegar. A good example of finding malt in unexpected places is in the ingredient list of crispy rice type cereal. This product seems like it should be gluten free, but has gluten because malt is used as a flavoring.
FDA Rules on Allergen Labeling
The FDA requires that packaged food must give allergen information for the 8 major allergens which are: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans. These allergens may be listed in several ways. If the allergen appears in the ingredient list itself, no additional notation is required. If an ingredient contains the allergen but it is not named as such, the allergen can be placed in parenthesis after the ingredient. For instance, a list might say flour followed with (wheat). Allergens may also be listed in a contains statement following the ingredient list with all the allergens listed.
What about “Natural Flavors”? If natural flavors contain any of the 8 major allergens, they must be listed in one of the forms described in the previous paragraph. Coloring agents must list any of the 8 allergens as well.
Should I be Concerned about “May Contain” Statements?
“May Contain” statements on labels are a company’s way to tell you that ingredients with allergens are handled in the same factory. Although those allergens are not ingredients in that particular food, they may be present as a cross-contaminant. Therefore, each consumer must make his own decision as to whether it is worth the risk to eat that food. Most food companies make an effort to keep those allergens out, but the responsibility lies with the consumer.
Ingredients that Confuse People
Even with the rules above there are often questions about several ingredients. Maltodextrin is not a malt product and therefore not made from barley. Maltodextrin is a starch, usually from corn that has been partially converted to sugars.
Caramel Color is often listed in literature about Celiac disease as possibly containing wheat. Modern caramel color is not made from wheat. Also, with changes made to the food law, products must list any of the 8 major allergens even in coloring agents.
Other Useful Resources
If you are still uncomfortable reading labels here are several useful apps you might try: Is that Gluten Free?, Gluten-Free Groceries, and My Grocery Master. You can also find a list of gluten-containing ingredients at Celiac.com. If you prefer to use a book you might try The Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide by Triumph Dining, or Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide from Cecelia’s Marketplace.
With these simple rules and some practice you will be well on your way to mastering a gluten-free diet.