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

Thanks to all of you who wrote to tell me that rice
vinegar is GF. Instead of tossing my bottle, I
enjoyed some on a rice noodle salad
with no ill effects.

I particularly want to thank the person who wrote
the message that prompted my concern about rice
vinegar in the first place for sending this clarification:

"I believe I was the poster who wrote about the rice
vinegar.  I was referring to the commercial rice vinegar
used in restaurants for sushi.  It is distilled with grains.
The sushi chef went back and found the bottle and
read it to me, and he couldn't believe it, himself!
He said this particular rice vinegar is used in ALL
sushi restaurants.  But you can find rice vinegar in the
store that is all rice, no grains.  Just ask when you're
eating sushi out if the rice vinegar that's used in the
rice is distilled from grains."

Another person who has looked into this wrote:
"Regarding vinegar used in sushi, I have asked about
this at two sushi restaurants and found that the vinegar
used was white vinegar.  I have tried to find out the
gluten content of that vinegar, but I have not received
any responses yet.  Since white vinegar remains
"controversial," I'll contribute to the discussion by stating
that I am a diagnosed celiac who did eat sushi with that
white vinegar on numerous occasions for about a
year.  During that time my villi grew back, and I did
not get positive serum tests for celiac."

So it's not clear what sushi chefs are using in the
way of vinegar, or even if this matters. But I suspect my
problems with sushi, as suggested by some writers,
has more to do with fake crab meat than vinegar
(since I don't use soy sauce on it).

Happily enjoying rice vinegar again,
Susan Scott