Hormel Pepperoni And Verifying A Gluten-Free Claim

[Amy2838]

I have seen Hormel Pepperoni lauded several times on this site and other sites as being gluten-free. It says "gluten free" right on the package, and I have contacted the company to make sure, and they stated that their pepperoni is indeed gluten-free. However, Hormel Pepperoni ALWAYS gives me a gluten-like reaction. I am very sensitive, and it makes me extremely ill. There is little doubt that I have been glutened after eating just a few bites.

My question is this: Is there a company or a U.S. agency that reviews products that claim to be gluten-free to verify whether it is truly gluten-free? If a product such as this clearly labels itself "gluten free" is there a way to find out if there is a certain percentage of gluten that is slipping into it that they are not admitting?

In any case, I just want those of you who may be very sensitive to small amounts of gluten to be careful when chosing Hormel. It may be safe for some, but if it does contain trace amounts of gluten it may not be gluten-free-enough for those of us who cannot tolerate even the smallest amount of cross-contamination.

[sa1937]

Welcome, Amy! There is no test out there that can measure zero gluten. I do use and trust Hormel as do many others on this forum.

Maybe you just can't tolerate this product for one reason or another so in that case, it's better to just avoid it. Our bodies can be pretty wonky at times and we can react to most anything and everything.

[psawyer]

I agree with Sylvia. Given the number of members here who use it without issue, I would suspect that there is something other than gluten in Hormel pepperoni which causes you to react.

[ravenwoodglass]

I eat it all the time and have no issues. I am very sensitive. What are the ingredients of the items you eat it with? Pizza crust etc. You may be intolerant either to something in one of them or you system may just not be able to handle something else in the pepperoni.

I notice you are new so welcome. If your having it on pizza what are you cooking the pizza on? An old pizza pan, peal or stone could be CC'd from past gluten use. Even the cutter could possibly be an issue.

[lovegrov]

I have never seen anybody else complain that Hormel pepperoni affects them.

richard

[kareng]

Its pretty greasy. Maybe that was it? No problem with Hormel products. Logically, if none of the meat products have gluten, probably not cc.

[CeliacAndCfsCrusader]

Ditto- I'm very sensitive and have no problems with their regular pepperoni.

One thing, their turkey pepperoni and I don't agree, but sometimes other turkey products bother me....maybe that's something that affects you too?

[Suzanne Lanoue]

Their turkey pepperoni is NOT gluten free, so perhaps there is some cross-contamination? I have their package of turkey pepperoni and it does no say "gluten free" on it. I believe it used to. I had read years ago that it was, I think, so I've been eating it and not knowing that it was no longer gluten-free. It's also not listed on their gluten-free list on their web site. Open Original Shared Link

I have been getting sick and only eating at home, so I've been testing foods in my kitchen with my NIMA gluten sensor, and it found gluten in the turkey pepperoni.

I find that I'm a lot more sensitive now to cross-contamination than I used to be, so maybe you are, too. Hope that helps!  Bottom line, though, if it makes you sick, don't eat it...

 

Suzanne

 

[Ennis-TX]

Their turkey pepperoni is NOT gluten free, so perhaps there is some cross-contamination? I have their package of turkey pepperoni and it does no say "gluten free" on it. I believe it used to. I had read years ago that it was, I think, so I've been eating it and not knowing that it was no longer gluten-free. It's also not listed on their gluten-free list on their web site. Open Original Shared Link

I have been getting sick and only eating at home, so I've been testing foods in my kitchen with my NIMA gluten sensor, and it found gluten in the turkey pepperoni.

I find that I'm a lot more sensitive now to cross-contamination than I used to be, so maybe you are, too. Hope that helps!  Bottom line, though, if it makes you sick, don't eat it...

 

Suzanne

 

Well their plain pep is still gluten free, I tested my last package and got 6of them from that LOT and been using them for cooking. Thanks for the heads up, you should email the company and figure out why. Perhaps they will reemburse you or give you few packages of the actual plain gluten free ones.

[karen149]

I have several bags of the Turkey Pepperoni that I bought at Target a few days ago. They say Gluten Free on the back. Not sure the Turkey Pepperoni Minis say gluten-free, though.

[kareng]

I have eaten the turkey ones lately.  They said gluten-free on them.  And the ingredients are gluten-free.

[WTFirth]

My body is telling me there is a problem too... Years of eating this product without problems but the last few times extremely sick. It’s either gluten or a bacterial issue in the product. But I don’t have a tester to be sure. Also Haribo just repackaged their gummy bears to include wheat syrup. So those are out if you are celiac.  I’m going back to boars head pepperoni to be safe.

[cyclinglady]

@WTFirth— Could it be the additives or the casing?  Was the product old?  Did you reach for fresher products located in the back of the deli case?  (People take products and ditch them throughout the store, they get warm, and then they can be returned to the case....ugh, I have witnessed this myself!).  You can not pay me to eat any sausage or hot dog.  They come right back up and have since I was young (I suspect the casing).  Plus, I have a garlic intolerance that has not resolved even after healing from  celiac disease (repeat biopsy confirmed 1/2018).  Maybe a new intolerance?  Let us know if you can safely consume the Boars Head sausage.  Enquiring minds would like to know!