![10 hidden spots gluten may be lurking 10 hidden spots gluten may be lurking](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltafc06db067aebac6/64cbf83cdb0bcc7a8de33eaa/NewHopeNetwork_Horizontal_RGB.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Yup, beloved Twizzlers and Panda Licorice list “wheat flour” as the second ingredient (second to corn syrup; great). Fortunately, some newer natural brands, such as Orgran and Candy Tree, are gluten free.
They may look innocuous in their perfect shapes, but watch out: wheat starch appears on many flavored potato chips' ingredient lists, including BBQ and Sour Cream & Onion.
Alas, this Caesar-salad-dressing staple often contains malt vinegar from barley. Versions, such as Lea & Perrins, use distilled white vinegar instead of malt vinegar.
Rice, seaweed, fish… what could go wrong? Plenty: Imitation crabmeat (common in grocery sushi) contains wheat as a binder. Then there’s the soy sauce: a well-known gluten-containing ingredient.
Single-ingredient spices are OK, but watch out for mixes like taco seasoning, which could contain wheat.
Depends on the brand. All Boar’s Head deli meats are gluten free, but some ready-to-eat meats have flavorings or fillers with wheat. Customers should also be conscious of store-made sandwiches, which may have been assembled on a bread-crumb-laden counter, as well as slicers that may have been used on gluten-containing meats (clean slicers after each use to avoid cross-contamination).
Bottled dressings and marinades vary widely, even within brands. Also, any flavor could be cross-contaminated in the manufacturing facility, so stock those that are certified gluten free – or suggest sticking with plain oil and vinegar (both of which are gluten free).
Premade and restaurant meatballs and sausages often contain wheat as a binder. Encourage customers to read and ask.
Often made with barley, which is a no-go. Fortunately, you can find wonderful miso that’s made with rice or beans and therefore gluten free. (Still, check labels.) I love South River organic chickpea miso.
Not exactly food, but prescription meds and supplements are growing markets for gluten-free certification. Because formulations can change, always check with a manufacturer directly.
Not exactly food, but prescription meds and supplements are growing markets for gluten-free certification. Because formulations can change, always check with a manufacturer directly.
Customers with celiac disease or nonceliac gluten sensitivity undoubtedly check labels or only buy products with a reassuring “certified gluten-free” seal. (Soon, thanks to new FDA rules, no product can claim “gluten free” unless it’s verified at 20ppm or less.)
For the gluten-free newbie, though, this list may offer a few "watch out" moments. Remember: If a product is manufactured in the U.S. with wheat, it must disclose that on the label (typically at the bottom of the ingredient list); but it does not have to disclose other gluten culprits, such as barley and rye – and all bets are off if the product is made outside the U.S.
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