OUR GLUTEN-FREE LABELING GUIDE
Below is our quick reference guide to help you determine what foods may contain gluten and what to look for when reading labels and looking for certifications. A downloadable PDF version of this guide is available here.
PRIMARY INGREDIENTS CONTAINING GLUTEN:
Wheat, barley, rye, malt and standard (i.e. non-certified gluten-free) oats.
OTHER GLUTEN CONTAINING GRAINS:
Wheat starch, wheat germ, malted barley, barley extract, semolina, farina, bulgur, spelt, couscous, bran, faro, kamut, emmer, einkorn, udon, triticale, panko, orzo, durum.
PRODUCTS THAT HAVE A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF CONTAINING GLUTEN:
Bread, pastas, conventional oatmeal, standard dough and flours, canned soup, frozen meals, meat substitutes, beer, malted beverages, malted candy, soy sauce, marinades and sauces, prepared packages foods, bagels, muffins, donuts, instant rice, pizza, cookies, ice cream products, baked goods (these are just examples and by no means is an extensive list – please refer to our extensive food list when looking for specific types/brands of foods).
CERTIFIED GLUTEN-FREE LOGO:
This is the safest and best way of knowing that the gluten content of a product is less than 10 parts per million (PMM) and that it is considered gluten-free by the FDA. An organization called the Gluten Free Certification Organization oversees this program and ensures manufacturers are complying with their standard. The logo looks like this:
OTHER GLUTEN-FREE LOGOS:
Some companies will claim a product has “zero gluten” or has “no gluten ingredients”, but if it is not certified as gluten-free, it is best to contact the company directly and ask what their label means. Examples include:
CONTAINS WHEAT – REVIEWING THE INGREDIENT LIST FOR GLUTEN INGREDIENTS:
By law, all companies are required to declare when a product contains wheat. Check the end of a product’s list of ingredients for “Contains: Wheat.” If it does not contain wheat, read the ingredients for ingredients containing rye, barley, malt, or oats, and check if the product was made in a facility that also processes wheat.
PROCESSED ON FACILITY EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES WHEAT:
For any product not certified as gluten-free, check the label to see if it is “made in a facility that also processes wheat” or “made on equipment shared with wheat products.” If it is, the risk of cross-contamination can be high, and those on a strict gluten-free diet should avoid these products. We also have a blog post that explores this topic in more detail.
