baked beans*
baking powder
batter and pancake mixes
bedtime drinks*
biscuits and biscuit mixes
blancmange*
breakfast cereals*
burgers
cakes, cake mixes
chocolates*
chutney*
cocoa, drinking chocolate*
coffee (cheap brands)
communion wafers
corned beef*
cornflour (cornstarch)*
cream (non-dairy)
crispbreads
crisps (flavoured)*
crumble topping
curry powder*
custard (ready made)*
custard powder*
desserts/instant puddings
fish in crumbs, batter or coatings
gravy powder/mixes
ice cream*
macaroni
malt
mayonnaise*
meat with stuffing/coatings
muesli
mustard*
pancakes, pancake mixes
pastas
paste
pastry, pastry mixes
pepper (white, catering)
pickles*
pie fillings
porridge
potato, instant
puddings
salad dressings*
sandwich spreads
sauces*
sausages
snacks
soups (tinned/packet)
soy sauce*
spaghetti
spreads*
sprouted grains
stock powder/paste*
stuffing
suet
sweets*
yoghurts (flavoured)
For a list of gluten-free products see here.
gluten-free?
Legally, manufacturers can label food ‘gluten-free’ even if it contains a little gluten (UK). This depressing state of affairs is due to an old ruling by the World Health Organization(WHO). Other countries, such as Germany and France, have a more honest 100-per-cent gluten-free standard. The ingredient at the centre of the scandal is wheat starch. This is wheat from which most – but not all – gluten has been processed out with most of its other nutrients. Because it is a waste product it is cheap, and it is the most widely used flour for commercial gluten-free baking. The majority of people who eat it have no idea that it is not truly gluten-free and nor do the people who prescribe it for ‘gluten-free’ diets.
Rest assured, all the recipes in this book are at the higher 100 per cent gluten-free (of wheat, rye, barley and oats). Wheat starch is not used at all.
are any types of flour naturally free of wheat, rye, barley and oat gluten?
Yes, there are six major ones: ground rice, corn/maize flour (pure cornmeal/cornstarch), potato flour, chickpea flour, millet flour and soya flour. All these are used in the recipes in this book.
how can you find out which products contain gluten?
There are groups specially for people on gluten-free diets who publish lists of gluten-free foods. Unless such groups are enthusiastic, very active, and publish a new list regularly, the lists tend to be outdated and therefore misleading. Another danger is that some organizations may actually be manufacturers and will deliberately ignore products by rival manufacturing companies, thus giving the gluten-free consumer a limited list of products that are available. By being a member of these groups such lists may be made available to you, either free or for a small fee.
You can also approach manufacturers for lists. The best way is to write a straightforward letter, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, requesting a list of their products which are gluten-free. The larger firms have these lists printed off ready for such enquiries but some firms
