Barilla Gluten Free Pasta makes me sick

[Pete Sanford]

I googled the symptoms i was having when eating Barilla Gluten Free pasta and found this thread. I know its old but i felt the need to share my experience. Ive been strictly gluten free for well over 8 years now , having been diagnosed with Celiac disease. I found Barilla at my local grocery store and thought id give it a shot since it was labelled gluten free. I made some and it was pretty delicious but i did suffer from some pretty severe stomach aches not long after consuming it. I considered that it may have been a one off type of experience so i made it a few more times with similar stomach pains and gluten symptoms like rash and bloated stomach. I would not recommend this product to anyone that is gluten intolerant , as i believe despite its label that it contains trace amounts or is contaminated in some way with gluten. Hope this helps anyone that has had similar issues. Cheers , Pete

[trents]

Welcome, Pete!

Barilla is "Certified Gluten Free" which  requires more rigorous testing than just "Gluten Free" and testing by independent testing labs.

Could it be that you're reacting to some other ingredient in the pasta? Many of these gluten-free noodle products contain a lot of pea protein which is high in fiber but could cause the symptoms you describe. Eating large servings of legumes gives a lot of people gas and bloating because our digestive track has a hard time breaking down the complex carbohydrates they contain.

[gfjennie]

looking at the ingredients, it is just corn four, brown rice four, mono and diglycerides

I don't see any "pea protein"

they say it is made in a dedicated gluten free facility, and certified gluten-free

but perhaps the mono or diglycerides are contaminated

it is totally a mystery to me why I (celiac) was a little sick, and my son (very sensitive celiac) was very sick for a week, doubled over in pain, missing 4 days of school

While we've had it in the past (over 6 months ago), without any apparent trouble, but this was really the only "new food" we have had over the past several months other than some local fresh made tofu (where they also claim to have a gluten free shop, and they only make tofu with their only ingredients being organic soybeans and water). In any case, the cramping, pain and illness was severe enough that we won't be eating this or the locally made tofu any more.

[Scott Adams]

I think it is Schar and not Barilla that uses pea protein, to correct my previous post. It is highly doubtful that they are contaminated, but not impossible. I would suspect other possible causes before this pasta, and your son may have additional food intolerance issues that need to be discovered.

[trents]

A number of brands use pea protein for at least some of their noodle products. Banza for instance. Barilla has a chick pea based rotini that we use.

[knitty kitty]

While some Celiacs also develop sensitivity towards corn and rice, I believe that microbial transglutaminase (a.k.a. meat glue) causes reactions to certified gluten free foods. 

Microbial transglutaminase is used widely in the food industry to improve flavor and texture and prolong shelf life in gluten free foods as well as nongluten free foods.

Because microbial transglutaminase is classified as a processing agent, it does not have to be listed as an ingredient.  

Microbial transglutaminase (mTg) is produced by bacteria and is the same as the tissue transglutaminase (tTg) the Celiac patients produce when exposed to gluten and which causes the inflammation and autoimmune reaction of Celiac Disease.  

 

Here's your homework reading assignments.....

"Microbial transglutaminase: An overview of recent applications in food and packaging"

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10242422.2020.1720660?src=recsys

 

"Microbial transglutaminase: A new potential player in celiac disease"

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30543926/#:~:text=Abstract,potentially pathogenic in celiac disease.

 

"Microbial transglutaminase should be considered as an environmental inducer of celiac disease"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6887606/

 

"Processed Food Additive Microbial Transglutaminase and Its Cross-Linked Gliadin Complexes Are Potential Public Health Concerns in Celiac Disease"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037116/#:~:text=Microbial transglutaminase (mTG) is a,in multiple processed food industries.

Full article....

"Processed Food Additive Microbial Transglutaminase and Its Cross-Linked Gliadin Complexes Are Potential Public Health Concerns in Celiac Disease"

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32046248/

 

"Microbial Transglutaminase Is Immunogenic and Potentially Pathogenic in Pediatric Celiac Disease"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6297833/

 

"Immunoreactivity of Gluten-Sensitized Sera Toward Wheat, Rice, Corn, and Amaranth Flour Proteins Treated With Microbial Transglutaminase"

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00470/full

(Barilla provided the different types of flour in the above study. Can you discern how the results of this study are slanted?)

Knowledge is power!

Happy reading! 

 

[gfjennie]

56 minutes ago, knitty kitty said:

While some Celiacs also develop sensitivity towards corn and rice, I believe that microbial transglutaminase (a.k.a. meat glue) causes reactions to certified gluten free foods. 

Microbial transglutaminase is used widely in the food industry to improve flavor and texture and prolong shelf life in gluten free foods as well as nongluten free foods.

Because microbial transglutaminase is classified as a processing agent, it does not have to be listed as an ingredient.  

Microbial transglutaminase (mTg) is produced by bacteria and is the same as the tissue transglutaminase (tTg) the Celiac patients produce when exposed to gluten and which causes the inflammation and autoimmune reaction of Celiac Disease.  

 

Here's your homework reading assignments.....

"Microbial transglutaminase: An overview of recent applications in food and packaging"

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10242422.2020.1720660?src=recsys

 

"Microbial transglutaminase: A new potential player in celiac disease"

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30543926/#:~:text=Abstract,potentially pathogenic in celiac disease.

 

"Microbial transglutaminase should be considered as an environmental inducer of celiac disease"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6887606/

 

"Processed Food Additive Microbial Transglutaminase and Its Cross-Linked Gliadin Complexes Are Potential Public Health Concerns in Celiac Disease"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037116/#:~:text=Microbial transglutaminase (mTG) is a,in multiple processed food industries.

Full article....

"Processed Food Additive Microbial Transglutaminase and Its Cross-Linked Gliadin Complexes Are Potential Public Health Concerns in Celiac Disease"

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32046248/

 

"Microbial Transglutaminase Is Immunogenic and Potentially Pathogenic in Pediatric Celiac Disease"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6297833/

 

"Immunoreactivity of Gluten-Sensitized Sera Toward Wheat, Rice, Corn, and Amaranth Flour Proteins Treated With Microbial Transglutaminase"

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00470/full

(Barilla provided the different types of flour in the above study. Can you discern how the results of this study are slanted?)

Knowledge is power!

Happy reading! 

 

thank you for this, I'm eager to dig in to these links

I had not heard of this, though we have learned about "decaking agents" and "wax" on non organic fruit.... dental products like toothpaste and floss.... what else am I missing?!

if there are other processing agents or non-ingredient ingredients we should be watching out for please let me know! my son still has relatively high numbers after a year and half of a gluten free diet and all new cookware and cutting boards...

(we are also vegetarian, so, bleck to Transglutaminase as well)

[Neytiri]

On 1/9/2017 at 4:54 PM, MrsT827 said:

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease back in October 2009. I seem to be OK as long as i stick to a strict gluten free regiment which can be challenging at times. It is difficult to know if a product is truly gluten free when its labeled as such. I only buy gluten free labeled products and i'm still having problems with my stomach, specifically pasta. In the past year i switched from Tinkyada brand pasta to Barilla. I had heard and read that the taste and consistency of the Barilla gluten free product was not much different from traditional pasta. Being Italian, we typically have pasta every Sunday so this was great for me.

In the past few months my body has been rejecting the Barilla gluten free pasta and i'm not sure if its due to a cross contamination issue. I'm tired of feeling sick and being in pain and would like to get to the bottom of this ongoing problem.

Has anyone else had any problem with the Barilla gluten free brand?

Dear MrsT827, I suggest you to check out whether you're allergic to nickel or not - I've given the same suggestion to another member - since this allergy is increasing. 

Moreover, I suggest you and the other members to be careful with tomatoes and tomato sauce in general because they contain a high level of solanine, a poisonous substance that can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain (I've experienced it myself three times XD  ). In order to avoid the solanine contained in tomato sauce, make sure to cook it for a long time and make also sure there's no water in it while cooking, because it indicates the presence of solanine in it. 

Hope to be helpful

[trents]

Do you have any references for the nickel and solanine toxicity? This is new to me. Tomatoes are generally regarded as a super food.

[Neytiri]

15 minutes ago, trents said:

Do you have any references for the nickel and solanine toxicity? This is new to me. Tomatoes are generally regarded as a super food.

To tell the truth, I don't have a link to share with you about these facts...However, a friend of mine is a doctor and just told me nickel allergy is recently skyrocketing. As regards instead solanine, my cousin worked as a chef in a famous restaurant in Milan and shared with me this piece of information, then this friend doctor of mine confirmed what my cousin said to me...However, if you desire it, I will search for some articles concerning these topics so that I can share them with you

[trents]

Yes, I would like some links. Seems like just about every food you can think of has some potential health benefit but also some potential health danger, at least for some people with certain medical conditions or when consumed to often in large quantities. So a lot of this kind of alarm sounding is just sensationalism. I would like to have some links to be able to better gauge if this concern is shared widely in the medical/scientific community or is just some crackpot alarmist rumor that is being repeated over and over. No offense intended toward your cousin.

[Scott Adams]

Here is more info on solanine toxicity:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanine 

[Neytiri]

1 hour ago, trents said:

Yes, I would like some links. Seems like just about every food you can think of has some potential health benefit but also some potential health danger, at least for some people with certain medical conditions or when consumed to often in large quantities. So a lot of this kind of alarm sounding is just sensationalism. I would like to have some links to be able to better gauge if this concern is shared widely in the medical/scientific community or is just some crackpot alarmist rumor that is being repeated over and over. No offense intended toward your cousin.

https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/clinical-edge/summary/contact-dermatitis/nickel-allergy-significant-rise-north-america

 

https://www.insider.com/what-its-like-to-have-a-nickel-allergy-2016-11?amp

 

You can also search for : "Nickel allergies are on the rise, just like all the others", an article published by consumer affairs

1 hour ago, Scott Adams said:

Here is more info on solanine toxicity:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanine 

Perfect ! Thank you

[trents]

Thanks, but I'm not sure how either solanine toxicity or nickel allergies relate to gluten issues and Celiac Disease. What's you thought there as to the connection?

[knitty kitty]

I think starting a new thread on solanine and nickel is warranted.  

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by knitty kitty
Add link

[gf-kitchen]

I have reacted to Barilla in the past and now am having a severe gluten reaction to Ronzoni's gluten-free spaghetti. Thanks to everyone who has shared here, it's good to not feel alone and to have some resources.

[Scott Adams]

I would check into a possible corn intolerance, as Barilla is made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

[MADMOM]

On 9/21/2020 at 10:00 AM, trents said:

Welcome, Pete!

Barilla is "Certified Gluten Free" which  requires more rigorous testing than just "Gluten Free" and testing by independent testing labs.

Could it be that you're reacting to some other ingredient in the pasta? Many of these gluten-free noodle products contain a lot of pea protein which is high in fiber but could cause the symptoms you describe. Eating large servings of legumes gives a lot of people gas and bloating because our digestive track has a hard time breaking down the complex carbohydrates they contain.

i eat it all the time and never issues - Ronzoni also makes gluten free pasta which tastes so much like regular - try it - maybe you reacted to something in the sauce or topping on ur pasta? 

[Brenda Abouarra]

On 1/9/2017 at 10:54 AM, MrsT827 said:

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease back in October 2009. I seem to be OK as long as i stick to a strict gluten free regiment which can be challenging at times. It is difficult to know if a product is truly gluten free when its labeled as such. I only buy gluten free labeled products and i'm still having problems with my stomach, specifically pasta. In the past year i switched from Tinkyada brand pasta to Barilla. I had heard and read that the taste and consistency of the Barilla gluten free product was not much different from traditional pasta. Being Italian, we typically have pasta every Sunday so this was great for me.

In the past few months my body has been rejecting the Barilla gluten free pasta and i'm not sure if its due to a cross contamination issue. I'm tired of feeling sick and being in pain and would like to get to the bottom of this ongoing problem.

Has anyone else had any problem with the Barilla gluten free brand?

Yes, I have just as much diarrhea and pain. I need help. 

[Scott Adams]

Hello Brenda, welcome to the forum! Have you been diagnosed with celiac disease? Are you on a gluten-free diet?

[Brenda Abouarra]

5 minutes ago, Scott Adams said:

Hello Brenda, welcome to the forum! Have you been diagnosed with celiac disease? Are you on a gluten-free diet?

Not diagnosed yet. But I know I feel better when I don't  eat the gluten. I'm not sure about the spagetti, cause it could have been the sauce or the cheese,  or the spice I put on meat. I'm so discussed. My life is not fun anymore.

[Brenda Abouarra]

1 minute ago, Brenda Abouarra said:

Not diagnosed yet. But I know I feel better when I don't  eat the gluten. I'm not sure about the spagetti, cause it could have been the sauce or the cheese,  or the spice I put on meat. I'm so discussed. My life is not fun anymore.

Definitely on gluten free diet, but sometimes I slip

[MADMOM]

On 9/21/2020 at 9:35 AM, Pete Sanford said:

I googled the symptoms i was having when eating Barilla Gluten Free pasta and found this thread. I know its old but i felt the need to share my experience. Ive been strictly gluten free for well over 8 years now , having been diagnosed with Celiac disease. I found Barilla at my local grocery store and thought id give it a shot since it was labelled gluten free. I made some and it was pretty delicious but i did suffer from some pretty severe stomach aches not long after consuming it. I considered that it may have been a one off type of experience so i made it a few more times with similar stomach pains and gluten symptoms like rash and bloated stomach. I would not recommend this product to anyone that is gluten intolerant , as i believe despite its label that it contains trace amounts or is contaminated in some way with gluten. Hope this helps anyone that has had similar issues. Cheers , Pete

u use the Ronzoni brand - no issues with it 

[Scott Adams]

Schar also makes a good alternative.

[DrawingGum]

Hi all,

I am a new member and I'm aware this is an old topic, but I found it via Google looking for others with the same experience. I have started to react to gluten free pasta since 2020 (been eating gluten-free since 2012). I sometimes get intense stomach aches and I have almost completely switched to flat rice noodles when I make some pasta dish. After a long time of not eating it I tried again a few days ago, and got pains again. The type I bought was a local, made in Italy gluten-free pasta made from organic rice- and cornflour. I have no idea why I react to it, but it seems I'm not the only one. I read the studies on Microbial transglutaminase, but I'm not a researcher and it was difficult to understand everything. I have had the thought that maybe it's just a very heavy and sticky meal to digest, so the last time I ate it I made sure to eat VERY slowly and chew everything extremely well. I still had discomfort, but not intense pain that kept me up all night. Still - enough discomfort to discourage me from eating it, really. Back to the rice noodles!