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

Hi,

A food company sent me their gluten free list this week along with a note that says Vitamin A acetate, Vitamin E acetate, beta-carotene and Vitamin D can use starch carriers (not in soft gels or liquid, however.) Since I'd never heard of this source of "hidden" gluten, I decided to check it out. I wrote to Steve Plogsted, a pharmacist on staff at Columbus Children's Hospital who told me the following: "The chance that the starch comes from a contaminated source is extremely unlikely  but it still requires further investigation." According to Steve Plogsted, the term starch carrier means the same as a starch filler or binder. A common carrier is starch 1500 (RTA) which is a corn derived product. Other carriers may include lactose and other saccharides, e.g., fructose, sucrose, dextrose, confectioner's sugar and maltodextrins.

Starch carriers can also - though rarely - be derived from wheat.

Another new ingredient to watch out for is Meripro 711 which was developed to provide a dairy alternative in coffee creamers, soups, and sauces. Meripro 711 is an emulsifying wheat protein developed by UK based food technology giant Tate and Lyle...and it is NOT gluten free.

Lani K. Thompson
Clan Thompson Celiac SmartLists
www.clanthompson.com

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*