Gluten-Free Ingredients is a mini series where I highlight ingredients that are usually gluten free. I am highlighting less common and “little” ingredients in this series and will not be covering the wide range gluten-free flours and grains.
The following ingredients are considered gluten free unless otherwise noted.
Hydrolyzed Corn or Soy Protein – These are both gluten free. The one you need to avoid is hydrolyzed wheat protein.
Inulin – A type of plant fiber.
Invert Sugar – Sucrose that has been split into glucose and fructose.
Lactic Acid – Milk acid.
Lecithin – Fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues. It is usually made from soy.
Maltitol – A sugar alcohol.
Maltodextrin – A highly processed ingredient made from starch. The source of the starch is not significant because no gluten would remain after processing.
Mono and Diglycerides – Fatty acids
Modified Food Starch – Gluten free as long as it is not made from wheat. If it is made from wheat then the word “wheat” would have to appear on the label.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – A gluten-free flavor enhancer.
Natural Flavors – This one is a little complicated. Please read the post Is Natural Flavoring Gluten Free?
Note: I’m not saying that these ingredients are good for you, just that they are gluten free.
Other posts in this series
Gluten-Free Ingredients A-B
Gluten-Free Ingredients C-G
Reading Labels
If you’re new to reading labels, see my series:
Please let me know if maltodextrin is part of gluten and is modified food starch is part of gluten too. I have been on some websites that say they are.
Maltodextrin is gluten free. Modified food starch is gluten free unless it is made from wheat. If it is made from wheat, that must be stated on the label.