Hidden Gluten in Products

If you’re choosing to be gluten free as a choice as opposed to an allergy or diagnosis, these hidden forms of gluten may not effect you as much - but coming from experience… being glutenized on accident is NO JOKE.

I find that most times when I am accidentally exposed to gluten it’s not even a worth while experience. If I had it my way, I’d take a delicious icing filled donut gluten exposure over an accidental soy sauce exposure any day. At least I have good memories while my body is hating me on the other side of the exposure - but, low and behold… it doesn’t usually happen that way.

If you’re going to be cooking for someone who has a gluten sensitivity, please make sure you are mindful to wash surfaces in between cooking with gluten. Also, swap out all of your utensils. Don’t mix something with gluten and then mix something that’s gluten free. Cross contamination is a huge deal for those with sensitivities - even the slightest amount of exposure to gluten can set someone off.

Here is a list of items to be mindful of hidden gluten when consuming:

• Cheese 

  • Some cheeses have added flavors or other ingredients that could contain gluten. For example, some hard cheeses could be soaked in beer. Blue cheese may use penicillium derived from wheat; although gluten levels in the cheese are probably low, GIG recommends choosing GF certified or labeled blue cheeses.

• Broth or Stock

  • Some powdered or packaged broths can contain gluten, such as yeast extract derived from barley. Some may contain hydrolyzed wheat protein.

• Vinegar

  • Fermented vinegars made from gluten-containing grains need to be avoided. Malt vinegar is fermented and made from barley. Chinese black vinegar could be made using wheat in addition to rice. Distilled vinegars made from gluten-containing grains are gluten-free after distillation.

• Soy Sauce

  • Soy sauce is traditionally made with fermented crushed wheat and soy in a salty brine with mold cultures.  There are Gluten Free Soy Sauces so you could look for that OR, what we prefer is Coconut Aminos. They taste the same and are free of soy.

• Mustard

  • Wheat flour could be added as a thickener or bulking agent in some specialty mustards like English mustard. 

• Ketchup

  • Some brands may use additional ingredients like malt vinegar or miso, which may not be gluten-free. 

• Corn Flakes/Rice Cereal

  • Some  popular  brands are made with malt from barley.

• Soup thickened with Roux

  • Roux is a mixture of fat, usually butter, and flour.  

• Salad Dressings

  •  May contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, or flour. Could also contain modified food starch that’s used to emulsify, thicken, or as an anti-caking agent. In the U.S., modified food starch is usually made from corn; if made from wheat, this must be specified on the label as “modified wheat starch” or “modified food starch (wheat.)”

• BBQ Sauces/Brines

  • May contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, or flour. 

• Seasoning Mixes

  • Certain brands contain wheat in with the other spices that are gluten free. Make sure you know what your season mix contains.

• Sausage

  • Could contain rusk, a twice-baked, gluten-containing bread that is used as a cereal filler in some types of sausage. Some specialty or plant-based (meat-free) sausages could contain wheat gluten as well.

• Jerkeys

  • Certain flavors of beef jerky contain soy sauce.

• Meat-less "Meats"

  • Seitan is made of wheat gluten. Other “imitation meats,” such as certain imitation bacon brands, could contain gluten due to the use of vital wheat gluten or yeast extract, which may not be gluten-free. If products with yeast extract are not labeled or certified gluten-free, they should be avoided.

    Personally, I think you should avoid fake meats for a list of other reasons, but if you do find yourself navigating it as an option, be mindful of what’s in it.

• Sliced Deli Meats

  • Processed meats come with their own slew of additives, but it’s important from a gluten perspective to be able to navigate safe options.

    They may contain added ingredients that could contain gluten as thickeners, such as wheat-derived dextrin or modified food starch. While these two additives are not always derived from gluten-containing grains, some are. Even if deli meats are gluten-free, watch out for cross-contact when deli workers use the same slicing machines for all products. One way to avoid cross-contact is with pre-packaged lunch meats that are labeled or certified gluten-free. Since deli meats are regulated by the USDA and not the FDA, contact the manufacturer if you have questions or concerns. 

• Restaurant Eggs

  • Some restaurants add pancake batter to their scrambled egg and omelet mixtures to increase fluffiness and sweetness. Even though eggs are naturally gluten-free, these dishes are not. Always ask for real eggs when out - they can often accommodate.

• Seasoned Rices

  • Seasonings could be combined with gluten-containing ingredients like soy sauce solids (powder), wheat flour, or wheat starch.

• Frozen Veggies

  • While plain vegetables – fresh or frozen – are naturally gluten-free, any with sauces, seasonings, add-ons or special shapes (like broccoli stars) could contain wheat gluten.

• French Fries

  • Say no to “crunchy,” “seasoned,” or “battered” fries or fries with gravy or sauces on them if you cannot verify that they use entirely gluten-free ingredients. French fries from fast food restaurants are most likely fried in the same oil as gluten-containing foods. Frozen seasoned fries from the grocery store could also contain wheat flour.

• Pickles

  • Some brands are made using malt vinegar (derived from barley). 

• Corn Chips

  • Some brands are made using malt vinegar (derived from barley). 

• Frozen Desserts

  • While fruit ice pops made with only fruit juice, water, and sweetener should be gluten-free, other frozen treats on a stick could contain gluten. For example, fudge bars could be made with malted barley extract. Ice cream bars and frozen yogurt bars could contain added ingredients, wheat starch that isn’t certified gluten-free, or flavorings containing gluten such as malt. 

• Milk Shakes

  • If a milkshake is made with malt – a malted milkshake – it contains an ingredient derived from barley. If at an ice cream shop, make sure you know exactly what ingredients are added to your shake and make sure clean scoops are used to avoid potential cross-contact.

• Granola Bars

  • Many are made with oats and are often not labeled or certified gluten-free. To avoid potential cross-contact with oats that may contain gluten, stick to bars with oats that are labeled or certified gluten-free.

• Licorice

  • Red and black licorice typically contain wheat flour as a main ingredient to bind the rest of the ingredients together. 

• Chocolate

  • Some additives, including emulsifiers and flavoring agents in certain chocolates or fillings, could contain gluten. Some specialty chocolates contain barley malt powder.

• Coffee and Tea

  • Coffee alternatives could be made with roasted barley. Also watch out for roasted barley tea, including brand names that don’t mention barley.

• Cocktail Mixers

  • Some mixers that you add to alcohol, such as certain Bloody Mary mixers, contain wheat or barley derivatives as an ingredient.

• Hard Lemonade/Wine Coolers

  • Malt-based fermented alcoholic beverages are problematic. Some wine coolers – or beverages marketed as wine coolers – could also use a malt base. Some beverages that might appear to be hard cider made from apples could be a malt-based, apple flavored drink.

• Cooking Sprays

  • Certain brands of cooking spray contain wheat flour, but most do not.

Other Items That Must Be Verified By Reading The Label Or Checking With The Manufacturer

• Lipstick, lipgloss, lip balm, or other cosmetic used near the mouth because they may be unintentionally ingested

• Oral care and dental products

• Communion wafers

• Herbal or nutritional supplements

• Drugs and over-the-counter medications

• Vitamins and supplements 

• Play-dough: children may touch their mouths or eat after handling wheat-based play-dough. For a safer alternative, make homemade play-dough with gluten-free flour.