The household gluten guide

Gluten is the main protein component of cereal grains – wheat, durum wheat, rye, barley, oats and triticale. Semolina, bulgur, kamut, couscous and spelt being wheat derivatives or relatives also contain gluten.

Many foods include these grains, such as pasta, noodles, breakfast cereals, breads, biscuits and cakes. It is also found hidden in the form of malt extracts and flavourings, thickeners, breadcrumbs and other additives.
Examples of foods which may contain hidden gluten are sausages, curry powders, batters, yeast extract, soy sauces, malt vinegars, soy milks, beer, licorice, baking powder, icing sugars. It’s everywhere! Check all ingredients if in doubt.

• Gluten-free grains are; Rice, corn, millet buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, sorghum, and teff.
• Flour made from the following foods is also gluten-free; Soy, lupin, lentil, potato and pea.
• Ingredients which are wheat derived, but do not contain gluten are; Glucose, dextrose caramel colour (150), sorbitol maltitol (965).

Also be careful to also check for gluten in such seemingly benign products as envelopes, stamps, crayons, play dough and medicines.

Interesting to note that in a paper published in 2013, the immune response generated against gliadin (the immunologic portion of gluten) may be cross-reactive with a range of other common dietary proteins. In the study it was found there was a significant level of cross reactivity between gliadin antibodies and proteins in dairy, yeast, corn, oats, millet and rice. This finding certainly supports the clinical observation that many patients who are sensitive to gluten seem to do better on a diet that restricts their intake of other grains and dairy foods.