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

I finally got a response from Kikkoman regarding their statement that their soy sauce is safe for celiacs despite one of the ingredients being wheat.

The company states: "Kikkoman Soy Sauce is produced through a natural brewing process.  Microorganisms, specially developed by Kikkoman, are mixed with the two main ingredients in our soy sauce, wheat and soybeans.

Wheat and soybeans both contain proteins, which are known to cause allergic reactions and celiac disease in wheat gluten-sensitive individuals.  These proteins are broken down into amino acids and an insignificant amount of tiny fragments, by powerful enzymes which are produced by our special microorganisms during the brewing process.  The tiny fragments from soybean proteins and wheat gluten are too small to cause any harmful reactions.

We know that in order for the symptoms of celiac disease to develop, the protein fragments must possess a specific structure, which is thought to be no longer retained after the brewing process.

Kikkoman Soy Sauce has been consumed in Japan for over 300 years and is now available all around the world.  To date, we have not received any report regarding adverse reactions to our soy sauce.  Although it is reasonable to assume that the possibility for Kikkoman Soy Sauce to cause harm is negligible; we, however, recommend that individuals who are greatly concerned about wheat gluten avoid using our soy sauce."

What does this mean?  I will continue to avoid soy sauce that has wheat as an ingredient, but Kikkoman's response raises the question of whether gluten is digested enough to make it harmless.

I guess this information is not very practical, but it does make me wonder if their soy sauce is, indeed, safe.

* All posts for product information must include the applicable country *