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Question For Those In Europe

GlutenFreeAustinite

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GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted

So, my boyfriend, who is not a celiac but has been extremely supportive of my diet, was telling me that wheat produced in Europe contains lower gluten levels than American wheat, and that those with Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance can eat it just fine, but those who have true celiac disease can't. I'm curious if that's valid, or if those with gluten problems in Europe avoid all wheat products on principle as well.

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BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted

So, my boyfriend, who is not a celiac but has been extremely supportive of my diet, was telling me that wheat produced in Europe contains lower gluten levels than American wheat, and that those with Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance can eat it just fine, but those who have true celiac disease can't. I'm curious if that's valid, or if those with gluten problems in Europe avoid all wheat products on principle as well.

I'm an American who is living in Poland currently and I have Celiac Disease. I've never heard that European wheat has lower gluten levels.

One thing that the EU does have is "gluten free wheat flour" (what they call it here in Poland, I think it is called "gluten free wheat starch" in the UK...not sure about anywhere else) which measures at less than 20PPM for gluten so under the Codex Alimentarius can be considered gluten free. Could that be what he's thinking of? They make loads of products with it here in Poland and the one time I ingested a roll made from it (by mistake) it made me very ill, a full on reaction. But if you were only gluten intolerant it might not be a problem...

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted
  • Author

That makes more sense than "safe" lower-gluten wheat. I don't know exactly what he read, but I think I may have misunderstood. But he did mention that there was something with a lower gluten content that was still wheat flour, so that Gluten Free Wheat Flour makes perfect sense. I was curious because I wonder if I'd react to it. I don't think we have any of that here in the US, though I'd have to check to be sure. Thanks!

Strawberry-Jam Enthusiast
Strawberry-Jam
Posted

that's silly. gluten is gluten and no one who is intolerant can eat it here in Europe or anywhere else (I live in Ireland).

however, some "gluten-free" products here will contain somethingsomething codex wheat starch, which is supposedly processed to the point of being gluten free. I don't personally touch it.

AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

I live in Germany and know a lady from Australia that lives here that was telling me something like this too. I really didn't pay attention at the time as I figured all gluten was bad. I'll be seeing her this week, I'll try to remember to ask her.

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