Article Surfing Archive

Here's a list of 14 places you might not expect to find gluten:

* Sausages contain breadcrumbs (the bread is one of the ways in which the texture of the sausage is obtained, without including an unacceptably high proportion of fat), except the most high class variety of butcher's sausage, and even in this case it's quite likely.

* Burgers, grillsteaks and similar products generally also include bread or other wheat products in the mixture.

* Crab sticks and prawnies seem to be made entirely of fish, but if you check the label and you will find wheat flour or modified starch listed in the ingredients.

* Some drinks contain gluten as a thickener, to provide 'body'.

* Wheat flour may be a hidden ingredient in ice cream, ketchup, mayonnaise and instant coffee.

* You often find gluten in low fat versions of products, to make them seem less watery (for example, yoghurt, soft cheese or mayonnaise).

* Pre-packed grated cheese is coated in flour or modified starch to stop it from sticking together in the packet - this includes the cheese sold with jacket potatoes in takeaways, unless they grate their own (but most don't).

* Obviously, anything coated in batter or breadcrumbs contains gluten in the coating. This makes almost every fish product out of bounds for the gluten intolerant, as the ones that aren't coated are usually packaged in a sauce thickened with flour.

* Monosodium glutamate, known to Chinese cooks as 'taste powder' or 've-tsin' is manufactured with gluten. This ingredient is very frequently included in factory-prepared goods, but may not be listed on the label - or merely described as a 'flavor enhancer'.

* Soy sauce is almost always made by fermenting soy beans and wheat together, so contains gluten.

* Although wheat germ does not itself contain gluten, because of the process of separation employed in manufacture, it is likely that a small amount of gluten will be present in wheat germ sold in the stores.

* Malt and malt extract are derived from wheat, and can be a hidden source of gluten. This is sometimes listed as maltase or malto-dextrin.

* Any alcoholic drink made from grain - beer or whisky, for example, contains gluten.

* Even medicines may contain gluten, used as a thickener or a binder.