Caramel Coloring

[positivenrgfairy]

I've read a few different things - I had a a reaction earlier and have definitely eaten something with caramel coloring in it. is caramel coloring gluten-free or not?

[positivenrgfairy]

I'm also reading mixed reviews about vinegar, if anyone can help with that.

[seashele2]

In the U.S., caramel coloring is almost always made from corn. If it were to be made from wheat, wheat would have to be listed on the ingredient label since it is a "top 8". So, unless the ingredients say wheat, caramel coloring is gluten-free.

Vinegars vary. White vinegar is corn-derived so should be gluten-free. Cider vinegar is apple-derived so should be gluten-free. Malt vinegar has malted barley so it is NOT gluten-free. Some say the distillation process kills off the proteins, but my gastro doc, who is also celiac, said an absolute "NO!" to malt vinegar in the celiac diet.

Some of the discrepancy and confusion as to the gluten-free status of many foods arises from the fact that in the U.S., gluten-free foods don't have to be free-of-gluten. A food only has to be less than 10ppm (parts per million) of gluten content to be considered gluten-free.

Michelle

Western Washington State

[lovegrov]

In the U.S. you will not find caramel coloring with gluten. In 8 years, I've never seen it.

Distilled vinegar is gluten-free. "Vinegar" is distilled vinegar and is gluten-free. Cider vinegar is gluten-free.

"Some say the distillation process kills off the proteins, but my gastro doc, who is also celiac, said an absolute "NO!" to malt vinegar in the celiac diet."

You are confused. I don't know of a single person with celiac disease or any celiac disease expert who says malt vinegar is gluten-free. Malt vinegar is NOT distilled and is most definitely not gluten-free.

richard

[ravenwoodglass]

The following is from the FDA website. Caramel coloring can be made from malt (barley). That would not have to be declared on the label. How often it is I don't know. The gluten would likely be in extremely small amounts but someone who is supersensitive might have issues.

Open Original Shared Link

(a)Identity. (1) The color additive caramel is the dark-brown liquid or solid material resulting from the carefully controlled heat treatment of the following food-grade carbohydrates:

Dextrose.

Invert sugar.

Lactose.

Malt sirup.

Molasses.

Starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof.

Sucrose.

[lovegrov]

In 8 years I have yet to hear of anybody who has found caramel coloring with gluten. Most celiac disease experts and organizations now consider caramel coloring safe, at least in the U.S. I guess it's a personal decision, but it's just not an ingredient I worry about any more.

richard

[ChemistMama]

Article on caramel color and celiacs, a good read:

Open Original Shared Link

She agrees with you, lovgrov. Nothing to worry about from caramel color.