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    This article is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Scott Adams
    Scott Adams

    The Safety of Malt for Those with Celiac Disease

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    The following is a post by Donald D. Kasarda (Open Original Shared Link) that was written to Michael Coupland of Kellogg (Cereal Company).

    Dear Michael,

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
    I have been asked to comment on your reply to Bev Lewis about the absence of gluten (or the barley equivalent) in malt flavoring. I am a cereal chemist who is sometimes asked for advice in regard to the gluten proteins as they relate to celiac disease by celiac patient organizations. I have provided advice to Kellogg in the past in regard to safe processing of a rice cereal (Kenmei) in order to avoid contamination. Kenmei has since been discontinued by the company.

    While it is possible that the malt flavoring you refer to is free of all harmful peptides, your statement that because the flavoring is a water wash of malt, it is free of gluten, is not in itself completely satisfying for the following reasons.

    At present, we are pretty sure that peptides derived from gliadin proteins that consist of as few as 12 amino acids can be toxic. These small peptides are sometimes quite water soluble as well. When malt is prepared by germination of barley, hydrolytic enzymes break down the harmful (to celiac patients) hordein proteins. It is possible that some of the resulting peptides are small enough to be water soluble, but large enough to retain harmful activity in celiac disease. A peptide of molecular weight no greater than about 1300 could potentially still be active in celiac disease.

    Therefore, the water wash could pick up harmful hordein peptides. Furthermore, unless the wash was centrifuged or filtered to clarify it, it could pick up small amounts of suspended particles that could contain hordein proteins or fragments of them that resulted from the protease action during germination.

    The amounts of harmful peptides or proteins that end up in a malt-flavored cereal might well be insignificant for celiac patients, for, after all, the amounts in the wash are likely to be small and the amount of flavoring added to the cereal is probably a small part of the total solids. My main point is that some transfer of harmful peptides to the water wash could occur and unless your researchers have studied this question and have some basis for concluding that the amounts are insignificant (other than because a water wash was used), perhaps it would be best to indicate that some uncertainty still exists.

    Incidentally, my suspicion is that there is not enough of the harmful peptides in Rice Krispies to cause harm to celiac patients, but for me it is only a suspicion in that I know of no experimental measurements or calculations in regard to the question and we still do not have a really solid indication of how little of the harmful proteins or peptides is OK for celiac patients on a daily basis.

    Sincerely,
    Don Kasarda



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    Recommended Comments

    Guest Connie Green

    Posted

    Nice to have an educated opinion.

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    Guest Carol Bottoms, MS, RD, LDN

    Posted

    Very helpful. I have had some children who are so very sensitive to to items like gluten and milk protein-it shows how hard it is to avoid these things. Hopefully some of the big company's will listen to the scientists and make more products friendly to a wider range of clients, as well as provide better labeling.

     

     

     

     

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    Guest Judith Kramer

    Posted

    As a nutritionist I appreciate the quality of your article.

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    Guest Debra Bolen

    Posted

    Very interesting and informative.

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    Guest Matt Porcelli

    Posted

    After getting into some pretty heated arguments with friends about it, I'm glad this clears the air. Thank you.

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    Guest Beth

    Are 'malt' and 'malt flavoring' the same thing? I know some products list 'barley malt' and others list 'malt flavoring.' If these are different names for the same thing, we're okay. But if they're not, the title of this article may be a bit misleading.

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    Guest Sooryun

    Posted

    Nice to have an educated opinion.

    I researched the ingredients of Rice Krispies and then came across this article, because last night I had some Rice Krispie treats at a Halloween party. It was about the only desert I thought I could have, forgetting why I never buy Kellogg's Rice Krispie cereal. It contains Malt flavoring and yes, I was affected. I have been trashed all day because of it. The amount is significant enough to affect gluten intolerant and celiac patients. Please be careful and thank you so much for the info.

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    Guest Felicita Smith

    Posted

    The only conclusion I can draw based on this article is what may be 'ok' for one may not be for another. No two celiac patients are alike. It's unfortunate that there are not enough studies to thoroughly understand the effects. We may stumble upon the cure if we had the tools and an active participation from a more proactive scientific study.

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    Guest Mary

    I have been able to eat Rice Krispie Treat with no adverse affects. However, I have also found that the more true I am to a gluten-free diet, the less I can get away with so eventually, I suspect they may be something I cannot eat.

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    Guest Laurie

    Posted

    The other issue with malt flavoring that can cause either a headache or a feeling of sluggishness, unclear thinking is the MSG factor, the processed free glutamic acid that is present... There exists an app called NxtNutrio (currently available for iPhone users) It allows consumers to set up their allergy profile, as well as food sensitivities which includes MSG and it's derivatives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners...colors... Alerting consumers of potential questionable ingredients...

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    Guest Donna

    Posted

    The other issue with malt flavoring that can cause either a headache or a feeling of sluggishness, unclear thinking is the MSG factor, the processed free glutamic acid that is present... There exists an app called NxtNutrio (currently available for iPhone users) It allows consumers to set up their allergy profile, as well as food sensitivities which includes MSG and it's derivatives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners...colors... Alerting consumers of potential questionable ingredients...

    Laurie, Thanks for mentioning the NxtNutrio app. I can see where it will be a health and time saver.

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    Guest sam

    Felicita Smith's remark seems today unacceptable. Even if one celiac patient does not show side effects it does not mean it is OK because you can not see the creeping devastation of the intestines which will eventually lead to cancer.

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  • About Me

    Scott Adams

    Scott Adams was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1994, and, due to the nearly total lack of information available at that time, was forced to become an expert on the disease in order to recover. In 1995 he launched the site that later became Celiac.com to help as many people as possible with celiac disease get diagnosed so they can begin to live happy, healthy gluten-free lives.  He is co-author of the book Cereal Killers, and founder and publisher of the (formerly paper) newsletter Journal of Gluten Sensitivity. In 1998 he founded The Gluten-Free Mall which he sold in 2014. Celiac.com does not sell any products, and is 100% advertiser supported.


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    Scott Adams
    The following is a post by Donald D. Kasarda that was written to Michael Coupland of Kellogg (Cereal Company).
    Dear Michael,
    I have been asked to comment on your reply to Bev Lewis about the absence of gluten (or the barley equivalent) in malt flavoring. I am a cereal chemist who is sometimes asked for advice in regard to the gluten proteins as they relate to celiac disease by celiac patient organizations. I have provided advice to Kellogg in the past in regard to safe processing of a rice cereal (Kenmei) in order to avoid contamination. Kenmei has since been discontinued by the company.
    While it is possible that the malt flavoring you refer to is free of all harmful peptides, your statement that because the flavoring is a water wash of malt, it is free of gluten...


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