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Hi everyone

Just a couple of issues to keep in mind concerning the use 
of barley malt extract. If this message comes through too 
garbled to read please let me know.

1. According to the definition of gluten-free in the 
FDA's proposed rule for gluten-free labeling 
barley malt extract or flavoring is considered an 
ingredient derived from a prohibited grain that has NOT been 
processed to remove gluten (therefore malt extract/flavoring 
would not be allowed in a food labeled gluten-free). 
The FDA's proposed definition of gluten free is below 
(SEE cAPITALIZED SECTIONS).

Definition of the Term ``Gluten-Free''
FDA proposes in Sec. 101.91(a)(3) to define the claim ``gluten-
free'' to mean that a food bearing the claim in its labeling does not
contain any of the following: (1) An ingredient that is a prohibited
grain; (2) AN INGREDIENT THAT IS DERIVED FROM A PROHIBITED GRAIN AND
THAT HAS NOT BEEN PROCESSED TO REMOVE GLUTEN; (3) an ingredient that is
derived from a prohibited grain and that has been processed to remove
gluten, if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 ppm
or more gluten in the food (i.e., 20 micrograms or more gluten per gram
of food); or (4) 20 ppm or more gluten.
Examples of a prohibited grain include, but are not limited to,
barley, common wheat, durum wheat, einkorn wheat, emmer wheat, kamut,
rye, spelt wheat, and triticale. EXAMPLES OF INGREDIENTS THAT ARE DERIVED
FROM A PROHIBITED GRAIN AND THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROCESSED TO REMOVE GLUTEN,
INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Farina, flour made from any of the proposed prohibited
grains, graham, and semolina;
Hydrolyzed wheat protein, vital gluten, wheat bran, and
wheat germ; and
BARLEY MALT EXTRACT OR FLAVORING
and malt vinegar.
Because these ingredients are derived from a prohibited grain and
have not been processed to remove gluten, they are presumed to contain
gluten.



2. When it comes to quantifying the gluten content of a 
hydrolyzed food product such as barley malt extract there 
are important considerations. The omega gliadin sandwich ELISA 
is only 4 to 8 percent cross reactive to barley. 
The R5 sandwich ELISA does a much better job at detecting barley. 
However neither the sandwich omega gliadin ELISA nor the 
sandwich R5 ELISA can accurately assess the gluten content of hydrolyzed protein. 
When assessing the gluten content of barley malt extract it is 
necessary to test the product using a competitive R5 ELISA. 
I wrote a paper with Dr Mendez (the developer of the sandwich 
and competitive R5 ELISAs) on the various assays to assess 
gluten including their strengths and weaknesses. 
If you are interested in reading the article let me know.



3. Based on work done by Dr Mendez barley malt extract 
contains significant amounts of gluten.


Tricia



Tricia Thompson MS RD
The Gluten-Free Dietitian
Author The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide
Co-author The Complete Idiot's Guide to Gluten-Free Eating
Manchester Massachusetts
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
www.glutenfreedietitian.com






> Date: Thu, 9 Apr 2009 11:52:47 -0400
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Cinnamon French Toast Sticks and Van's Wheat Free Homestyle Pancakes.
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: Celiac/Coeliac Wheat/Gluten-Free List
> Poster: Mike Jones
> Subject: Cinnamon French Toast Sticks and Van's Wheat Free Homestyle
> Pancakes.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> <>
>
> Vans has long produced a popular line of GF waffles, and recently
> introduced GF pancakes (also milk and egg-free, and quite delicious)
> that include the ingredient MALT EXTRACT. I contacted Vans to ask
> whether this is derived from barley, and indeed it is.
>
> However after some correspondence, I believe the amount of gluten is so
> small as to be inconsequential. Vans has confirmed (see below) that the
> amount of gluten in the Malt Extract is tested to be less than 20 PPM;
> AND the amount of Malt Extract in the pancakes is under 2% by weight.
> This implies that the pancakes as a whole are under 0.4 PPM gluten. At
> 44 grams per pancake, if my math is correct, eating 100 pancakes a day
> would result in having only 2 mg of gluten. While no studies have
> conclusively established a safe lower limit on gluten per day, prior
> posts on this list by celiac experts have speculated that 10 mg per day
> is probably OK and 100 mg per day is probably not.
>
>
> Here is a copy of correspondence from Van's:
>
> On Apr 7, 2009, at 2:49 PM, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> We recently launched two new Wheat Free products Van's Wheat Free
> Cinnamon French Toast Sticks and Van's Wheat Free Homestyle Pancakes.
>
> Like our Wheat Free Waffles, these new products are gluten, dairy and
> egg free. We have received some inquires regarding the use of malt
> extract in our new Wheat Free Homestyle Pancakes and Wheat Free Cinnamon
> French Toast Sticks.
>
> All of Van's wheat free products comply with the definition of gluten
> free proposed by the FDA which states that to be considered gluten free
> a product or its ingredients must not contain more than 20 ppm of
> gluten.
>
> While the malt extract used in these two products is derived from
> barley, it is tested and meets the gluten free standard as the gluten
> protein found in the barley is removed during the malt extraction
> process. The barley is processed though many steps including steeping,
> germination, drying, grinding, mashing and evaporation. All these stages
> remove gluten from the barley. In addition, malt extract is used at very
> low levels in both products. Van's Wheat Free Cinnamon French Toast
> Sticks contain less than 1% of malt extract and Van's Wheat Free
> Homestyle Pancakes contain less than 2% of malt extract.
>
> As part of our manufacturing process, we test incoming raw materials and
> our finished wheat free products for gluten to ensure that the raw
> materials and finished products meet or exceed the proposed gluten free
> standard.
>
> We understand the concern regarding the use of malt extract in gluten
> free products want to assure you that these new products meet the same
> standards as all other Van's Wheat Free products.
>
> I understand that there will be a lot of thoughts on the use of these
> products, the key points to remember are;
>
> 1. The proposed FDA standard that will most likely allow small amounts
>
> 2. Scientific data on how hard it is to test for zero gluten
>
> 3. The debate within the Celiac community as to what is the real
> acceptable level where damage will occur.
>
> We all have our own personal option as to what we eat or avoid based
> on our preferences after reading labels.
>
> I will collect the replies and summarize.
>
>
> -----
> Mike Jones Orlando, FL, USA
> [log in to unmask]
> One of the Celiac, Cel-Kids, Cel-Pro, Cel-Gps, Celiac-Dietetic Listowners,
> http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/
> Archive:
> Information provided in this message is not meant as medical advice.
> Consult your medical team for diagnostic and treatment concerns.
>
> Visit the Celiac Web Page at Http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html
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