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Bill Elkus wrote:

>(1)  What is the cost, availability and reliability of home gluten testing
>kits?...
>
>(2)  Which types of ingredients are the most (or least) subject to the hidden
>vendor problem ...

Bill,

I can't say anything much about your second question, but in regard to the
first:

We have used the Australian (developed by John Skerritt) home test kit to
check proteins in wheat starch.  Although we did not do extensive studies,
the test seemed to work exactly as it was supposed to.  One sample that
should have had enough protein to show up in the test did so with a clear
light blue color.  The other sample, which was quite low in protein
(although by later testing this sample was found to have gluten proteins in
minute amounts) and should have been below the stated sensitivity of the
home test, did not show any color.  The Australians also market a lab test
kit that has about 10-fold higher sensitivity than the home test kit.  This
kit is quite expensive and we did not buy it, but I think it would have
indicated the gluten in the low-protein starch sample. I think the
Australian tests work well with fairly simple materials like wheat starch or
bread. It would probably show up flour used on conveyor belts to prevent
sticking of candy bars, for example. However, I think it is difficult to be
sure that the test will always work well when used to analyze a product with
various complicating ingredients.

Mary Alice Warren has told me that the Australian test gives a blue color
with certain acid solutions, including pure lemon juice (if I recall
correctly).  Thus, there may be problems in testing complex foods having
many other components that might interfere with the test.  I think it will
be difficult to come up with a test that is insensitive to all possible
complicating substances in complex foods (gravy, casseroles, "nutrition"
candy bars, and so forth).  There may be similar products to the Australian
test on the market in Europe.  I know some were headed for
commercialization, but I don't know if they are now available or not.  My
guess is that, because of the chemistries involved, there will always be at
least a slight chance of an incorrect result no matter what test is used.

To sum up, the Australian test seems like a pretty good one to me, and worth
trying for many products, but I doubt it is absolutely failure proof.  I
think, in general, it is still best to track down the manufacturing
information and avoid anything that doesn't check out rather than hoping for
a simple universal test that will never give you the wrong answer.  On the
basis of my experience, I would say that analysis of many materials requires
a certain amount of research because no single, simple test will give you
the correct answer.

I suspect, but cannot be absolutely sure, that the concern of many about
trace amounts of gluten in foods that on the whole are not likely to contain
gluten  (grain alcohol, white vinegar,for example)is unwarranted, that the
whole thing is being overblown, but without human testing and double-blind
studies, who knows?  Sure, there may be someone who reacts to a single dose
of, say, 0.1 mg of gliadin in some serious way, but I think such people are
very rare.  If this happens to 1 person in 10,000, or one in 100,000, or 1
in 1,000,000, is it worthwhile for everyone concerned to avoid all
manufactured foods and make everything from scratch.  As usual, we can only
say that it is a personal decision that each person must make for himself or
herself.  Personally, I think that many potentially gluten-sensitive people
are seeking a risk-free world that will never exist.  When you cross the
road, drive a car, fly in an airliner, you are taking a certain amount of
risk, but you feel you are prepared to take that risk.  To some extent, the
same decisions apply to eating.  Pay attention to what your body tells you
and avoid things that don't seem to agree with you (I do), but be skeptical
and perhaps carry out some experimentation of your own. Maybe try the food
again when you are feeling well.  Perhaps you will not have the same reaction.

Don Kasarda