Understanding labels - gluten free cooking

[Jess27489]

Hi, I'm new to gluten free baking/cooking. 

Should I only trust products that say 'gluten free' on the pack?
The recipe I'm using calls for tomato paste. On the pack, the ingredients list doesn't list gluten or any gluten product (just italian tomatoes & salt) but the pack doesn't say 'gluten free'.
Can i trust this product? Or should i only be using products that specifically say 'gluten free'.

Also a marshmallow pack say that glutens 'not detected' on the nutrition table but doesn't specifically say 'gluten free' on the packaging. Is it safe to use?

Can I use these product?

I'm not gluten free myself but I will be cooking for other people who are and want to make sure I'm using safe ingredients. 

Thanks for your help. 

[ch88]

You can look in the ingredients to see if it contains any grains that contain gluten. If it has wheat in it, in the US, it will say after the ingredients "contains wheat". This means they didn't intentionally put wheat it it but it could be cross contaminated

If it is labelled "gluten free" that means it gets tested some to see if it contains gluten, and the manufacture takes steps to reduce accidental cross contamination.

The tomato paste and marshmallows are fine.  With only one or two ingredients it is not likely that they are cross contaminated. Other food products might be cross contaminated. You can post the brand name and the specific product so that we can give more information.

[cyclinglady]

What a nice friend.  Please continue to research.  Cross contamination is a big problem.  Cooking in a kitchen that has gluten requires some care.  

Pots and pans should be very clean and not scratched.  No wooden spoons or scratched plastic.  No sharing of toasters or colanders.  Anything gluten can get trapped (like little holes in a mixer).  Use parchment paper as a barrier.  Make sure your oven is clean.  Use foil on a grille.  Use a paper plate to cut instead of a cutting board that might have had bread cut on it.  No loose flour in the kitchen for 24 hours.  No sharing of sponges or cloths of you hand wash.  Squeeze bottle for condiments or a fresh jar. 

Consider having your gluten free friend watch or help you prepare.  I do not trust my own mother to prepare food without me!  

Celiac disease is autoimmune like lupus or MS.   Gluten exposures can cause a celiac to flare up that can last for a week or months.......

 

[Jess27489]

50 minutes ago, ch88 said:

You can look in the ingredients to see if it contains any grains that contain gluten. If it has wheat in it, in the US, it will say after the ingredients "contains wheat". This means they didn't intentionally put wheat it it but it could be cross contaminated

If it is labelled "gluten free" that means it gets tested some to see if it contains gluten, and the manufacture takes steps to reduce accidental cross contamination.

The tomato paste and marshmallows are fine.  With only one or two ingredients it is not likely that they are cross contaminated. Other food products might be cross contaminated. You can post the brand name and the specific product so that we can give more information.

Hi ch88, 

Thank you very much for replying. I'm from Australia so I'm not sure if the brands will be the same. 

Nestles Bakers choice - white chocolate melts.

Ingredients: Sugar, vegetable fat[Emulsifiers (492, Soy Lecithin)], whey powder (milk), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin). Flavour. 

Also says "contains milk and soy"

[Jess27489]

16 minutes ago, cyclinglady said:

What a nice friend.  Please continue to research.  Cross contamination is a big problem.  Cooking in a kitchen that has gluten requires some care.  

Pots and pans should be very clean and not scratched.  No wooden spoons or scratched plastic.  No sharing of toasters or colanders.  Anything gluten can get trapped (like little holes in a mixer).  Use parchment paper as a barrier.  Make sure your oven is clean.  Use foil on a grille.  Use a paper plate to cut instead of a cutting board that might have had bread cut on it.  No loose flour in the kitchen for 24 hours.  No sharing of sponges or cloths of you hand wash.  Squeeze bottle for condiments or a fresh jar. 

Consider having your gluten free friend watch or help you prepare.  I do not trust my own mother to prepare food without me!  

Celiac disease is autoimmune like lupus or MS.   Gluten exposures can cause a celiac to flare up that can last for a week or months.......

 

Hi cyclinglady, thank you very much for this advice.