Monosodium Glutamate / Dextrose Question

[davo76]

Hi guys,

Not posted in a while as I thought I was doing ok amidst the confusing food labels but this has got me stumped. Earlier today I bought a few bags of smiths potato sticks (UK, dont know if they exist elsewhere) as they are labelled suitable for coeliacs. I ate a couple of bags without reading the ingredients thinking i'd be alright as seen as they are apparently deemed suitable and shortly after that I had a rather rapid date with the toilet. Hmmm I thought, feels like i've been glutened but couldnt figure out how. The only thing I had new were the smiths crisps and after closely reading the ingredients I came across monosodium glutamate derived from wheat and dextrose derived from wheat. How do they avoid cross contamination or is it not an issue? Am I right in my thinking or is there likely to be another cause?

Confused,

David.

[Lisa]

David:

MSG in the US is gluten free, but many react and it is really not so good for you, but still gluten free.

And, I believe that dextrose in the US is also gluten free. If the label clearly states that it is derived from wheat in the UK, well........

Sorry that I am not help. You might need to wait for a fellow Islander to chime in.

[GFBetsy]

I could be wrong, but I think the UK requirement for "suitable for celiacs" is less stringent than the US recommendations. For example, I know that in some places in Europe, wheat starch is considered to be gluten free. However, a lot of celiacs still react badly to it . . . even though it is supposedly "gluten free" (because, they say, that it no longer contains wheat protein because it is just the starch . .. but how they insure that there is no gluten left in their starch, I don't know). So that might be your problem . . . though they fit the UK definition of "gluten free", there may be enough gluten in them to cause you problems.

Good luck!

[miles2go]

I'm in the US, eat mostly US food and I think that MSG is just the devil. I don't think any countries are responsible about it labelling-wise, but that's just from personal experience.

Whole, preferbaly organic foods forever!

(Yes, I have a bad Cheetos habit that I need to overcome. )

[happygirl]

The only thing I had new were the smiths crisps and after closely reading the ingredients I came across monosodium glutamate derived from wheat and dextrose derived from wheat.

Dave, I think your answer is right there, unfortunately. If it is derived from wheat, as it says, it is not safe.

Hope you get to feeling better.

[davo76]

Thanks for the replies guys, I guess i'll just have to be more stringent when checking things in future and avoid anything that says wheat even if it says its ok.