<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Listmates:

Vinegar keeps coming up and there have been several posts in the past
week.   DISTILLED VINEGAR IS GLUTEN-FREE.  The only vinegar that is a
problem is MALT vinegar and possibly some vinegars with ADDED
FLAVORINGS.

The link posted on Wed, August 4, 2004 by Stephen Holland is a good
source:  http://www.nowheat.com/fooddb/food/vinegar2.htm.  Dr.
Holland raised a question about the correctness of the "Chemistry
Lesson" posted on Aug 3, 2004.   His reference describes how vinegar
is made and  includes a section on distilled vinegar written by
Richard Abrams who is a celiac and a retired biochemistry professor.

I consider Ann Whelan's article to be my primary resource and the end
to any question about the safety of vinegar.   She is the editor of
Gluten-Free Living and the author of "Don't Worry about Vinegar!:
Evidence shows vinegar is safe on the GF diet"  (Volume 8, #3, pages
15-18).   The article is well documented.  She points out that the
Canadian Celiac Association has never warned celiacs about vinegar.
Back issue information for Gluten-Free Living can be found at:
http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/  Click on "Subscribe" and the back
issues are shown on the lower section of the page.  The issue has a
vinegar bottle on the cover--Back Issue #1.  Vinegar is included on
the list of Important Ingredients on the above website:
        "Distilled vinegar is gluten free and has always been gluten
free. There is no evidence that suggests vinegar might be dangerous
for those who follow the gluten-free diet. The only vinegar to avoid
is malt vinegar, which is not distilled."

There should be no controversy over the safety of distilled vinegar
for celiacs.  If you react to vinegar for some other reason, then you
should avoid it.  But please don't blame it on the presence of gluten.

Betsy
Austin, Texas

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