Ground Beef

[kimberly O'Brien]

After reading some of the messages today, I didn't think about ground beef having gluten in it.

I haven't found any info. on here about which brands are safe.

We typically eat the ground beef from Costco. The ones in the rolls that you get like 6 in a bag.

Does anyone know if those are safe? If not, what is a good ground beef to eat that is gluten free?

We don't eat beef often, but it would be nice to know that I can have it since I feel like there is little that I can eat now that I cannot eat dairy or gluten and a small amount of soy is okay.

thanks

[CarlaB]

Meat has to be labeled if it contains any other ingredients, so just read the ingredient list. Most ground beef is just ground beef.

[Guest Viola]

If you go into your local Safeway they have in the freezer department, cartons of 100% ground beef patties already made. They are just great for the fry pan or BBQ Careful though, they also have spiced ground beef patties that are not safe. So just make sure it says 100% beef patties

This is in Canada, but I'm pretty sure you could find them in the US as well.

[ylimaf]

Here in Albuquerque NM we have a store they sells strickley gluten fed animal meet. I dont know that there is a whole lot of gluten in meet raised on it but knowing that gluten is toxic to us I would rather be safe than sorry. The store we go to is called Kellers. Good luck

[Pyro]

Could there be cross contamination on the machinery (perhaps from sausage)?

The ground beef I've been eating for the last day has made me feel awful. I'm pretty sure it's the ground beef, because that's really the only plausible thing. Unless I became contaminated in a really complicated fashion.

Could walking through a bakery have lasting effects?

[psawyer]

A very old topic, brought back to life.

Ground beef, labeled as exactly that, is pure beef. While there is a chance of cross-contamination from the grinder, it still would not be a gluten worry. What you might get if the equipment was not adequately washed would be traces of other meats, such as pork, turkey or chicken.

Prepared beef patties, on the other hand, can have multiple ingredients, and flour or bread crumbs are common. These are added after grinding, and have no opportunity to contaminate the grinding machine.

Sausage making is a complex process, and again, the ground meat used is long past being exposed to the grinding machine when the other ingredients are added.

Gluten in the animal's feed is not a concern. The flesh is gluten-free regardless of the animal's diet. The only source would be the contents of the digestive tract, and these are not used for human consumption.

As noted, any ingredient other than the labeled meat must be clearly identified in the US under USDA regulations. Similar regulations apply in Canada.

You could pick up airborne flour in a bakery. The finished product is generally safe to be around, but in the preparation area flour will be everywhere and some will become airborne. To be a problem it has to get into your digestive system, but if you inhale some it can find its way into your stomach. The nasal passages and the throat are connected internally.

[Juliebove]

In the US, bread, crumbs or other forms of gluten is not generally added to ground beef patties. Some of them do contain soy or soybean oil though so if you're allergic to soy that would be a concern. If it's just plain ground beef there is no gluten in it.

As far as walking through a bakery, that certainly could cause a problem with particles of gluten floating through the air.

[Eriella]

Could there be cross contamination on the machinery (perhaps from sausage)?

The ground beef I've been eating for the last day has made me feel awful. I'm pretty sure it's the ground beef, because that's really the only plausible thing. Unless I became contaminated in a really complicated fashion.

Could walking through a bakery have lasting effects?

Even though they claim no... walking through the bakery/pizzeria/Arbys, I get red, stiffly, sneezy, and teary. It is either a physiological reaction to the gluten or a psychologically reaction to get away before a I make a mistake :-). I have never had a GI symptom from just being around gluten unless I am cooking with it (not smart).

[ravenwoodglass]

Could there be cross contamination on the machinery (perhaps from sausage)?

The ground beef I've been eating for the last day has made me feel awful. I'm pretty sure it's the ground beef, because that's really the only plausible thing. Unless I became contaminated in a really complicated fashion.

Could walking through a bakery have lasting effects?

Ground beef that is just beef is safe but...... I had the same issue when shopping at a small local grocery. It seemed I got sick whenever I ate cut fruit or ground meat from that particular store. I discovered that the produce was cut and packaged at the same huge cutting board where everyone spread out their lunches. I stopped buying fruit and veggies cut up there. I continued to buy meat though and still wondered where I was constantly getting CC, that is until the day I was asking the girl that works in the meat dept a question while she was putting out freshly wrapped meats and when she replied she spit cracker crumbs all over me.

I now shop only at Wegmans or other large grocery stores that have a less relaxed policy about where and when folks eat. If you shop in a small store you may want to go with a larger chain to see if it makes a difference.

Now that said for many when they are healing the high fat content of ground beef can just be to much. Lean meats will be much easier to digest. One way to see if the fat is bothering you is to cook the ground beef then put it in a colander and rinse it under hot water. This will remove the grease very effectively and may make whatever it is easier to digest.

[Pyro]

Yeah, sorry for dragging up the old thread but I was curious.

The thing is, this ground beef is from a large chain (giant eagle if you've heard of it) and I know for a fact that I tolerate fats pretty well. Eating fistfuls of bacon and fatty steaks is no problem for me.

I'll just stop eating it until I'm sure that there are no possible contams around me so that I can single it out. Of course I'm really careful now, but like I said in another topic my family doesn't take me seriously. So they'll leave flour just sitting around, or something else mean.

[loco-ladi]

I walked into a bakery once, had a pretty severe panic attack but no CC thankfully

my family doesn't take me seriously. So they'll leave flour just sitting around, or something else mean.

I wouldn't say its mean and intended to hurt you but is possibly more like ignorance, those who dont "get it" generally either think we are inventing things or since its not so widely known think... "bah people cant be allergic to flour everyone eats it!" some day they will get an epithany and will come crawling on hands and knees begging your forgiveness for not understanding.

[Pyro]

more like ignorance, those who dont "get it" generally either think we are inventing things or since its not so widely known think... "bah people cant be allergic to flour everyone eats it!" some day they will get an epithany and will come crawling on hands and knees begging your forgiveness for not understanding.

Yeah, I know that. But it's still a pain in the ass. I also really hate the antagonizing.

"Oh, I bet it's got GLUTEN in it. Better watch out for the GLUTEN!!"

or

"What doesn't have gluten in it? *annoyed sigh*"

Like it's my fault companies spray gluten freely onto everything that isn't fresh.

Oh well, at least I'll be moving out again really soon.

[eric from montreal]

It's strange that you mention the ground beef from Giant Eagle, Pyro, because I had the same problem there also.

Anybody else having issues with ground beef from Giant Eagle?

[GottaSki]

Welcome Eric!

Pyro hasn't been online for over a year, but hopefully someone else can help verify the ground beef in question.

Perhaps you can contact the company and ask if they process any wheat or gluten in the same facility where the ground beef is packaged?

Good Luck!