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

The responses on malt flavoring had more talk regarding cereal made by
Kelloggs and the cross contamination factor and that their malt flavoring is
not considered gluten free. I have also not summarized the responses sent to
the entire list since you already all received them.

Following are some of the responses dealing more directly with malt flavoring.

1. - you might want to  call them to be sure.  (Malt can either contain or
not contain gluten so that's another complication.)

2. The Canadian Celiac Association dictionary says that malt flavouring
is not gluten free.

3. I quote from The Food List published by The Coeliac Society in the UK.
"Almost all brands of gluten-free breakfast cereals contain malt extract or
malt extract flavourings which are considered to be safe for Coeliacs."
Our experience has been that in the USA we never, ever ate malt, malt
flavouring, or malt extract.

4. Call Kelloggs. The last time I heard the head food chemist of Kelloggs
speak in the US he said all malt products contained gluten.

5. I know that malt flavoring can sometimes come from corn malt, but in my
experience, it's usually from barley.

6. Malt or Malt Flavoring - avoid: if made from barley malt or syrup,
allowed: if made from corn. Now you say, the only way to find out is to call
the company. Right!

7. ...but one piece of information was Malt did contain Gluten.

8. Anecdotal evidence but, my experience with Rice Crispies which has as
its only suspect ingredient, malt flavoring or malt syrup, is that it is
not gluten free; my body tells me so in no uncertain terms!

9. The malt flavouring in all Kellogs Cereal comes from a combination of
barley and corn. There for it is not safe.

10. I wrote to FlavTek, a flavoring and fragrance company on the 'net, and
asked about what malt flavoring is and whether it has contact with
derivatives of all our "evil" grains (Wheat, oats, barley and rye). This
is the response I received. Hope it helps.

response--
Most malt flavors, especially natural malt flavor, have one of the four
ingredients you mention; however artificial malt flavor, without any of the
four ingredients, can be made -- we don't have a standard product because
there has not been much request for it.--

I will continue to follow the Canadian celiac association rules that malt
flavoring is not gluten free due to the risk of being made with barley
and/or corn.  I do not have the time to contact each manufacturer with each
food lot I am purchasing to determine whether it would be safe or not.


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Karen Bulmer
St. Albert, AB, Canada