<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Nebulous Ingredients--Trying to Sort It Out ------------------------------------------- by Cynthia Kupper [Excerpted from the May 1997 newsletter of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America] Nebulous ingredients--what are they, and why do we worry about them? At the 1997 Gluten Intolerance Group Annual Conference Cynthia Kupper shared some information on nebulous ingredients. Here are some highlights: * Corn Gluten (corn gluten meal) is the principal carbohydrate component of corn endosperm (germ). It is the by-product of wet milling of corn for starch and is used as a nutrient supplement. Many manufacturers will tell you a product contains gluten if there is corn in it; however, corn gluten is safe for celiacs. * Cross-Linked Starch: A chemical process is used to increase the "stretch" of the starch causing the attachment of two polymer chains by "bridges" of a group or compound. Cross-linked starches can occur naturally (insulin and other proteins) or be made artificially. Polysaccharide molecules can cross-link to form stable gel structures. For celiacs the problem is not knowing the source of the starch. * Dextrin is an incompletely hydrolyzed starch. Producers of dextrin in the USA have said only corn is used; but the Code of Federal Regulations indicates other starches may be used, including wheat. The source must be verified to ensure its safety for celiacs. * Arabic (Acacia) Gum is the dried gummy exudate from stems of acacia senegal (tree) or related species [and is gluten-free --ed.]. * Carob Seed (Locust Bean) Gum is a carbohydrate from the carob seed, from the tree ceratonia siliqua. [also gluten-free--ed.] * Guar Gum (Guar Flour) is a water soluble plant mucilage ground from the endosperm of cyanopois tetragonoloba. It is primarily a carbohydrate with 5-8 times the thickening power of starch. [This is also gluten-free, though for some people it can have a laxative effect--ed.] * Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil is oil that has been hardened by the addition of hydrogen. Be sure to know the vegetable source. * Lecithin comes from soy or corn oil. * Malt Syrup (Extract) comes from barley that has been germinated, making it unsuitable for celiacs. [Also avoid malt flavoring or the plain ingredient "malt" for the same reason--ed.] * Maltodextrin is the result of partial hydrolysis of corn starch or potato starch with acids and enzymes. * Mono- and di-glycerides are prepared from edible fats or oils and glycerine (animal or vegetable oil--usually corn or soy). Manufacturers of mono- and di-glycerides have said they know of no company in the USA using anything but corn or soy. Again the problem is knowing where the product was originally manufactured. Two companies contacted indicated that it is highly unlikely this product would be imported. In its finished form it is a soft paste-like product. Therefore, in any product other than dry mixes, there is no need to add a starch carrier. It is the starch carrier that is the potential problem for celiacs. * MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid (a common, naturally-occurring amino acid). It can be made from either the alkaline hydrolysis of waste liquid from sugar beet refining, hydrolysis of wheat/corn gluten, or the organic synthesis of acrylonitrile. In the USA MSG is made from corn. The challenge is finding from which country the MSG comes. * Natural Flavoring: There is no definition of "natural" established by the FDA, so this remains a suspect ingredient. * Pre-gelatinized Starch: "Pre-gelatinized" simply means "pre-cooked". This allows the starch to increase its capacity for water absorption. For celiacs the problem is knowing what source the starch comes from. * Rapeseed Oil comes from the napus and campestris varieties of the mustard and turnip family. Canola oil is made from rapeseed. Like other pseudocereals, rapeseed or canola does NOT contain gluten. * Starch Carriers (according to the American Ingredients Company) are very rarely used in the USA. They are most often used with pre-blends or specialty blends for a stabilizer, primarily in dry mixes. These may be a potential problem for celiacs in dry mixes that include mono- or di-glycerides. * Autolyzed Yeast Extract (Bakers Yeast Extract or Bakers Yeast Glycan) is the insoluble protein material left over from mechanically-ruptured yeast cells. Sources at Red Star and Fleischmann's report there is nothing in the processing of these yeast extracts which would cause them to contain gluten. Article references: 1. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Guide to Food Labeling and Advertising, Claims as to the Composition, Quality, Quantity, and Origin IV-27 & 28, 25/03/96. 2. Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Foods of Plant Origin. Production, Technology and Human Nutrition. Salunkhe Desphande, Van Nostrand Reinhold Press, 1991, pgs. 6-21. 3. Food Additives Handbook. Richard J. Lewis, Sr., Van Nostrand Reinhold Press, 1989. 4. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Food and Drugs, 21 Parts 170-199. Revised as of April 1, 1996. Published by the Office of Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. 5. US Feed Grains Council home page, [log in to unmask], "The Wet Milling Process", 6/3/96. 6. American Ingredients Co., Kansas City, MO. Product Bulletins GMS 90, Monoglyceride Hydrate; and Starplex 90, Dispersible Monoglyceride. 7. "Ingredients and Their Uses", www.kashrus.org/kosher/chem.html, Kashrus Conscience Kosher Information Bureau.