Glucose

[janpell]

So we got After Eights (chocolates) as a gift and see that glucose is an ingredient and in brackets says "from wheat and/or corn". How does this work with all products containing glucose? This is the first time I have ever seen the source stated following glucose.

[psawyer]

The source of certain ingredients may optionally be listed. Glucose is a highly refined sugar and would be safe in either case--in any case.

[Kamma]

I think for many glucose syrup is safe but for the ones that are sensitive, it could cause an issue.  For example, Cadbury has listed their glucose syrup as 'having trace amounts of gluten' - below 10 ppm..

 

"TRACE AMOUNTS OF GLUTEN: Contains less than 20 mg/kg GLUTEN - (source is generally Wheat Glucose Syrup where the level of Gluten is below 10mg / kg. Also includes products where Wheat Starch blend is used as the moulding agent resulting in a dusting of starch on the outside of the product.)"

 

Taken from here:  Open Original Shared Link

 

If you are sensitive and react to trace amounts of gluten as some of us do, then consuming glucose from wheat could cause a reaction.

[psawyer]

So, the glucose is less than 10 ppm, and then becomes part of the finished product.
 
Open Original Shared Link, we see:

Ingredients:
Sugar, plain chocolate (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, emulsifier (lecithin), flavouring), glucose syrup, flavouring, citric acid.

There are five ingredients, and they must be listed in descending order. Worst case--equal amounts of the first three, and nearly zero of the last two--would allow almost one third of the product to be glucose syrup, or 33%. Now we are down to less than 4 ppm--closer to 3 ppm. If you did have that much glucose syrup, though, you would have a gooey mess, not a chocolate mint. For practical purposes, they are gluten-free.

 

* * *

 

From the Canadian Celiac Association list of ingredients:

 

GLUCOSE ..... ALLOWED
A common sugar used as sweetener.

GLUCOSE SYRUPS ..... ALLOWED
A purified concentrated water-soluble solution of sugars. Can be made from a variety of starches such as corn, potato, or wheat. The manufacturing process renders glucose syrups gluten-free regardless of the source of starch.

[Kamma]

I'm sorry, Peter.  I'm unclear as to the direction you are taking.  Are you contesting that some sensitives such as myself would not react to glucose syrup?  In spite of first hand experience with it and recent studies that do back up sensitivity to parts lower than 20 ppm?

 

For practical purposes for sensitives, glucose derived from wheat is technically not 'gluten free', containing trace amounts of gluten.  This must be noted as it could put some people at risk for a reaction.

 

Taken from an article on the study:

 

"The researchers included 17 diagnosed celiacs who had failed to control their symptoms or heal, even though they followed the Open Original Shared Linkreligiously (as verified through an interview with a dietitian). Half continued to experience diarrhea, and about one-third complained of fatigue and/or abdominal pain.

About half had high-positive celiac blood tests, three had weak positive test results, and four had negative test results (although three of those with negative blood tests showed continuing Open Original Shared Link upon endoscopy).

Six of the people included (including the three with negative blood tests but ongoing intestinal damage) met the criteria for Open Original Shared Link at the start of the study. Nonetheless, the researchers hypothesized that they didn't have refractory celiac disease at all; instead, the trace gluten commonly found in processed foods (especially grain-based products) was preventing them from healing and feeling better."

 

- Article, Trace Gluten Responsible for Ongoing Celiac Symptoms;March 2013

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

which is based on the following study:

 

"Trace gluten contamination may play a role in mucosal and clinical recovery in a subgroup of diet-adherent non-responsive celiac disease patients";BMC Gastroenterology, February 2013

Open Original Shared Link

[psawyer]

This forum, Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications, is intended to offer practical advice and information for the vast majority of celiacs and gluten-intolerant people.

To address the special needs of super sensitive people, we have a special forum here. Kamma, your concerns would be appropriate there.

[Kamma]

Thank you, Peter.  I will continue to post in both places.  I'm sure you would agree that factual information based on credible and up to date research is valuable to all who read on here so they can make informed decisions no matter what level of sensitivity they are.