Maltodextrin?

[Guest NancyNet]

Hi Everyone,

In one of the topics someone ( I believe it was Deb?) said that MaltoDextrin is gluten-free. That all MaltoDextrin used in food in the US is corn based and must be mentioned on the label if not. I have been avoiding anything with MaltoDextrin for years and it has kept allot of good things out of my diet. Before I go buying and eating foods with MaltoDextrin on the label, could someone please give me a website or who said without a doubt that this is true? I have been having terrible IBS symptoms and cannot get rid of them always nauseous, feeling like I have to go to the bathroom and weak and would not want to gluten myself more. I cannot pin down what is causing my problems right now I would appreciate all the help and knowledge I can get from all of you... Thanks Nancy

[darlindeb25]

hi nancy---this is what my book says about maltodextrin----maltodextrin is prepared as a white powder or concentrated solution by partial hydrolysis of corn starch or potato starch with safe and suitable acids and enzymes--maltodextrin when listed in food in the USA must be (per FDA regulation) made from corn or potato-----however, this does not apply to medications or vitamin and mineral supplements-----------this is from the safe and forbidden list in celiac.com---i hope this relieves your mind nancy---i truly would not have stated it if i didnt feel it was true--i use sweeteners all the time--i like splenda best, but use equal and nutrataste also----my sister is a dietician and has leraned everything she can about celiacs,, she too is celiac and believe me, i questioned her about maltodextrin---it's safe---otay deb

[celiac3270]

In the US, and in foods, maltodextrin is gluten-free. In pharmaceuticals, you should be more careful, but for regular foods, you're fine...again, I don't have a website, but a book.

[lovegrov]

I also can't point you to anything other than the celiac.com safe and forbidden lists and the fact that this is what I read in every celiac forum. Most -- if not all -- people I know don't worry about maltodextrin in food.

There's another lesson here. Many, many ingredients that we've heard we either can't have or need to be careful about, are in fact gluten-free or nearly always gluten-free. If you're avoiding everything with ingredients like natural or artificial flavors, modified food starch, starch, artificial colors, caramel color, etc., then you're avoiding a lot of products you can eat. All you have to do is call the manufacturer (or in the case of quite a few companies, juts read the ingredients).

richard

[Guest NancyNet]

Thanks Everyone... Wow that is a weight off my shoulders!

Deb.... I was not questioning your info just asking where you got it, I would love to know what book this is you mentioned with the info in it. I was diagnosed in "96 and you would not believe the lack of information I was given, even the dietician they sent me to gave me wrong info... I have allot of books and live on the pc Celiac sites but there info changes often too.. I love this Forum!!!! I am really learning how to research from you ppl and keep my info on a PalmOne... went right out and bought one lol...

Richard your right about avoiding allot of foods I don't need to...I always went by better safe than sorry attitude, but thanks to your help I can now eat more...Thanks...

Have a Happy Healthy Day All.... Nancy

[strack2004]

Nancy, Another celiac site is Open Original Shared Link.

This site is designed for celiac, ibs and other digestive problems. It contains an extensive list of legal and illegal foods. Some pharmaceuticals are given in the main list. Not a whole lot. Possibly another area of the site would contain that kind of information. Strack

[edgewalker-sc]

I'd like to remind everyone to be very careful when maltodextrin appears as an ingredient in a medicine or supplement. As a previous poster noted, the FDA labeling guidelines regarding maltodextrin do not apply to meds or vitamins. Just this past week, I had the absolute worst "celiac episode" that I've had in years. (I was diagnosed in '89) I couldn't understand it, since I'd been sick with a cold for several days, and hadn't been eating much of anything at all except for gluten-free chicken soup and gluten-free toast --- plus, I'm not very sensitive to gluten and don't usually have a reaction from trace amounts. The other night I finally thought to check the ingredients on the Theraflu that I'd been taking before bed every night since I caught the cold. Sure enough -- maltodextrin. I stopped taking Theraflu and sure enough my symptoms cleared up. The celiac symptoms, anyway. I still have the cold.

My mom (also celiac) has had similar problems with vitamins containing maltodextrin. Unfortunately for her, she has decided that all maltodextrin is suspect and won't eat anything at all that contains it. Sad that she's limiting herself this way, but she can't be convinced otherwise.

Andria

[Guest NancyNet]

Nancy, Another celiac site is Open Original Shared Link.

This site is designed for celiac, ibs and other digestive problems. It contains an extensive list of legal and illegal foods. Some pharmaceuticals are given in the main list. Not a whole lot. Possibly another area of the site would contain that kind of information. Strack

Strack, I tried clicking on the URL you sent me in your message, and I received a message that the is a error with the URL???? could you please check this out? I would like to see the website with it's info, as I still am having symptoms.. thanks for your help Nancy....

[darlindeb25]

morning nancy--he had one word wrong is all---the site is www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info now try that--otay, i tried and it works---deb

[strack2004]

Nancy: Sorry about the URL! I guess I used to get this site with that one, but now I get a message that the site is discontinued. It's true that version of the site has been discontinued. Here is a URL I just tried out. http:www.scdiet.org/. Put that in at the top of your screen where it says Address. When it comes up, clickon "about" go to the left side of the page in the dark blue section. Click on visit Elaine's official website: Breaking The Vicious Cycle.info. If you click on the other items youll find still more information about celiac. Hope this works. Cheers, Ruth (Strack)

[Professor]

Yes, after 10 years of this, I still have questions. What about maltodextrin? I don't eat stuff like this, but I don't let gluten in the door, so I've always said no to maltodextrin on a label. I know malt, malt flavoring, and malt vinegar are usually from barley, and dextrin is sometimes corn and sometimes wheat, so I put those together and have always felt it's unsafe (not gluten-free).

Any words of wisdom here? Gluten or not?

Thanks in advance,

Patty

P.S. My daughter will love all of you forever is you say gluten-free!

[darlindeb25]

i do love being loved by others--in the USA maltodextrin is made from corn--i havent used anything so far that made me sick--tell her i love her too----deb

[KaitiUSA]

Maltodextrin in the US food is gluten-free.

[Professor]

BG (my affectionate name for her -- stands for brat-girl) will be thrilled! You each have another person who loves you!

But seriously, thanks for the quick answer.

Patty

[girlygirl]

Maltodextrin often contains MSG which is a big NONO for celiacs (really MSG should be a big nono to all human beings). Many items that contain MSG hide that it is in the product. Carrageenan which is in alot of dairy products including icecream many times contain MSG. People need to contact the manufactuer when not sure. But do not call and ask if there is MSG in the food, they will say no. Ask instead if there is any "free glutamic acid" they can't lie at that point. Good luck.

[girlygirl]

Maltodextrin (I hate to burst anyones bubble here) many times contains MSG. Just because something may be labled MSG free it doesn't mean that there isn't any hidden msg in the product. The truth in labeling campaign (you can find them on them web) has been trying to fight this for years. In order to find out for sure if it is msg free you need to call the manufacturer and specifically ask if the product contains any free glutamic acid. Believe me no one will be able to answer that one for you right away, it will always have to be looked into. They can't lie about that one. Good Luck.

[lovegrov]

But this would matter only if MSG is a problem for you. It's not a celiac problem.

richard

[lovegrov]

MSG is a big no-no only if you react to MSG. It's perfectly fine for most people with celiac.

richard

[girlygirl]

The MSGtruth.org site in reference to celiac sprue writes;

"We have recently found that many persons who report a sensitivity to MSG also report an inability to tolerate wheat products in general. This seems an odd coincidence until we realized that grain products have been bred to contain more and more gluten which is very high in the amount of glutamic acid bound to its protein chains".

Wheat, soy and corn are good sources of glutamic acid and msg is often made from these foods.

[lovegrov]

"We have recently found that many persons who report a sensitivity to MSG also report an inability to tolerate wheat products in general. This seems an odd coincidence until we realized that grain products have been bred to contain more and more gluten which is very high in the amount of glutamic acid bound to its protein chains".

Even if this is true, note that this says people with sensitivity to MSG cannot tolerate WHEAT in general. It says absolutely nothing about celiac or even gluten. Just wheat. Lots of people who don't tolerate MSG well don't have celiac.

And even if this observation is true, it doesn't then mean that all people with celiac would have a problem with MSG. Most people I know with celiac eat and tolerate MSG perfectly well.

If you don't tolerate MSG, then avoid it. But you don't have to avoid it just because you have celiac.

richard

[KaitiUSA]

Yes Richard is right. MSG is a separate issue. Maltodextrin is fine in the US.

[KaitiUSA]

Most celiacs are fine with MSG . As Richard said avoid it if you have a reaction to it but a lot of celiacs can have it.

[lbsteenwyk]

How can maltodextrin contain MSG? Wouldn't the MSG have to be listed as an ingredient? Also, I was unaware that MSG contained gluten. Does anyone have more information on this.

Thanks

[KaitiUSA]

Do not worry... MSG is fine for celiacs. If you have a sensitivity to MSG then you should avoid it but it is completely fine and should cause any worries.

Open Original Shared Link

On this article it has a section on MSG....In the US it is made from corn.

[lovegrov]

MSG does indeed go by numerous names and is indeed hidden in many things, but it does not have gluten and simply is not a threat to most people with celiac. When it is a threat it is because the person is sensitive to MSG, not because of celiac.

richard