Nebulous Ingredients to Question

This is the most difficult and most important category of ingredients to study, because here you will find the ingredients which may -- or may not -- contain gluten. When you understand where the risks lie with these items, you'll know what questions to ask of manufacturers when they show up on the ingredients list. And speaking directly -- and politely -- to the manufacturers is the best way to (1) get the most up-to-date information and (2) work toward change in the food industry. The more calls those 800-numbers get enquiring about the gluten-content of food, the more the manufacturers will become educated to our needs and feel it is in their best interests to respond by cooperating with better, clearer labeling.

More information on these foods can be found right here on the web at the Food and Drug Administration's website.

• binders (may be made from toxic grains)
• broth (original ingredients may have included toxic grains)
• caramel color (source can be a toxic grain)
• catsup (what is it made from?)
• cereal (what grain?)
• cheese (annatto color; starting molds may be introduced on bread crumbs)
• curry powder (may have flour as a hidden ingredient to improve flow)
• emulsifiers (may be wheat-derived)
• excipients (may be made from toxic grain)
• farina (usually made from wheat)
• fillers (can be anything!)
• food starch (what is the source of the starch?)
• gluten (corn gluten is not toxic)
• gum (may be oat gum)
• hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP) (which "plant" is used?)
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) (if source not identified) (which "vegetable"? -- it can be wheat!)
• leavening (what sort of leavening, what is it made of?)
• modified food starch (could be corn, could be wheat)
• mono & diglycerides (may use a wheat derived carrier)
• MSG (may be made from wheat outside U.S.)
• mustard (wheat flour may be a hidden ingredient)
• natural flavor (this can be anything; there is no disclosure requirement)
• rice syrup (may use barley enzymes)
• seasoning (may have flour as a pouring agent)
• shortening (vitamin E from wheat germ may be added)
• sour cream (may contain food starches)
• soy sauce (wheat used in most brands)
• spices (may have flour to improve flow)
• stabilizers (may be made from toxic grains)
• starch*
• stock (original ingredients may have included toxic grains)
• textured vegetable protein (TVP) (same as HVP)
• tomato paste (hidden ingredients may include HVP)
• vegetable gum (may be made from forbidden grains)
• vegetable shortening (may be made from forbidden grains)
• white pepper (flour to improve flow?)
• yeast (may be grown or dried on wheat flour)
• yeast extract (same problem as with yeast)

* In the U.S. "starch" is safe as it should always be corn starch; in other countries it may be wheat starch. "Food starch" and "modified food starch" may be either corn or wheat, in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Copyright ©1998 Linda Blanchard All Rights Reserved. Date Added: February 16, 1998. Last Update: January 07, 2009.