Gluten Found in Foods Labeled Gluten-Free

Gluten Found in Foods Labeled as Gluten-Free Mersin University Department of Food Engineering research has revealed that many packaged gluten-free foods sold in Turkey contain gluten. According to results from the study "Price and Gluten Research in Gluten-Free Foods Sold in Turkey," conducted by Güler Atasoy and Mahir Turhan at Mersin University's Department of Food Engineering, 17.5% of 200 packaged products bearing "gluten-free" labels contain gluten levels exceeding the FDA limit of 20 ppm (20 parts per million). Another noteworthy finding in the study concerns the risk in buckwheat-containing gluten-free foods. According to analysis results, 57% of packaged products sold as gluten-free and containing buckwheat do not accurately reflect the "gluten-free" claim. Experts point out that this situation occurs due to cross-contamination that arises when products come into contact with gluten during the production phase.

Schär Turkey General Manager Özgür Erdoğan made the following comments on the matter:

"In gluten-free foods, grain mixtures, buckwheat, corn, rice, carob and potatoes are the most preferred raw materials. The work of Atasoy and Turhan shows that among products bearing the 'gluten-free' label, gluten exceeding the limit is found most frequently, at 57%, in buckwheat-containing products. These are followed by grain-mixture products at 9%. When we look at buckwheat-containing products, determining factors include whether the buckwheat comes into contact with wheat or gluten-containing seeds in its growing area, whether the same equipment is used with gluten-containing seeds during harvest, equipment used during processing and gluten analyses that should be performed in production processes. At this point, the first step to be taken is to increase work specifically on buckwheat, which carries high risk, and to make gluten analyses mandatory through legal regulations, especially at the final stage of production. As the Schär brand, we conduct more than 100 gluten analyses daily at every stage of our supply chain with more than 40 quality control personnel."  

Specialist Dietitian İrem Erdem, drawing attention to the fact that the rate of gluten exceeding the limit in gluten-free foods in Turkey is much higher compared to other countries, issued the following warnings:

'Emphasizing that celiac individuals use products claimed to be gluten-free with confidence, but that the study's findings are concerning, cross-contamination is defined as the transfer of microorganisms from any product at all stages from field to table. Cross-contamination can occur as microorganism transfer from one product to food, or as microorganism or allergen transfer from food to food. Although made from a substance containing no gluten, a product can be exposed to gluten when produced in the same environment as gluten-containing food production lines. Therefore, it is important that while such products do not list wheat, barley and rye in their ingredients section, they should include the note "may contain trace amounts of gluten" in the final section. Products bearing the "gluten-free" label must be produced in different environments from gluten-containing products. To reduce the risk of cross-contamination to zero and to prevent this exposure, products from brands that produce only gluten-free products in their production facilities should be preferred.'