<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Since the response to Lin offered little to no inforamtion , my husband sent the following to McDonald's in an effort to get some clarification. Will post if we receive a response. Jennifer ---------------------------- Dear McDonalds, In response to requests from individuals with gluten-sensitivity and celiac disease I am inquiring as a Board Certified Toxicologist for specific ingredient details regarding McDonald's fries and hashbrowns. Currently McDonalds fries and hashbrowns are not recommended for consumption within the gluten-sensitive/celiac community based on your website information describing your fries and hashbrowns as containing "hydrolyzed wheat." Specifically, the web link for health professionals describes your fries and hashbrowns as containing "Natural beef flavor" ... "Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients." As stated, this information is inadequate to make a determination as to whether McDonalds fries and hashbrowns present a hazard, but on the side of safety, these products are currently being recommended to be avoided. The gluten-sensitive/celiac community would like to consume these products if safe, but further information regarding the processing of your "Natural Beef Flavor" is required. My understanding of "hydrolyzed wheat" as used by the food and beverage industry refers scientifically to "hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate." Hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate being obtained by forming an aqueous mixture (i.e. dough) of wheat flour, in which the wheat gluten is insoluble at neutral pH, and removing the soluble wheat flour components, including starch, by washing. The gluten is dried to preserve its physiochemical properties. A protease enzyme is used in a second step to hydrolyze the wheat gluten. Through this process the physiochemical properties of the wheat protein are retained and therefore this product would retain physiochemical properties sufficient to produce gluten-sensitivity reactions. With regard to "Natural Beef Flavor," if hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate is simply added in as part of a mixture of dry ingredients constituting that flavor powder, the flavor powder would be capable of producing gluten-sensitivity reactions. If the hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate is added to a mixture and cooked, it would also retain biological activity to produce gluten-sensitivity reactions. Studies have shown that industrial "cooking processes" are inadequate in altering the physiochemical properties of hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate sufficient to eliminate gluten-sensitivity reactions. Although the wheat protein is denatured in these processes, the protein chain fragments retain biological activity sufficient to produce gluten-sensitivity reactions. On the other hand, the hydrolyzed wheat may be further processed to alter its physiochemical properties such that the resulting product would not produce gluten-sensitivity reactions. Examples of further processing to eliminate the biologically active wheat protein are found within the wine and distilled product industries. This may be accomplished by chemically binding the wheat protein so that it is no longer bioavailable, or processing whereby the wheat protein is eliminated in the process, i.e., distillation such as distilled vinegars and distilled alcoholic beverages (whiskey, vodka, scotch, rum, tequila). With regard to the chemical binding of wheat protein, the wine industry has petitioned the FDA to permit "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) status to hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate as used by the wine industry and not require "wheat" labeling for wine products (Agency Response Letter, GRAS Notice No. GRN 000182, CFSAN/Office of Food Additive Safety, June 27, 2006) Hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate, through scientific wine making procedures, is used as fining agents. Protein fining agents are used in the wine industry to clarify wines and to reduce astringency. During this treatment, tannins natural to grapes, which are responsible for astringency and haze, interact with hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate to form insoluble complexes that precipitate from the wine and eliminates dietary exposure to hydrolyzed wheat gluten isolate. With this regard, additional information is requested to the specific processing of "Natural Beef Flavor" to determine if this flavor is a powder mixture, cooked, distilled, or chemically treated to eliminate biological activity of treated. Dr. Robert G. Elves Diplomate, American Board of Toxicology * Please carefully compose your subject lines in all posts * Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC