Is That Gluten Free? Ingredients You Should Call About

Some of the ingredients listed on product labels may be confusing to you causing you to think, “Is that gluten free?” Sometimes it is necessary to contact a manufacturer to determine whether or not a product is gluten free. Know when to ask and for which ingredients.

Find below, my sample letter. You can either send your inquiry via email, mail, or call them. You will most likely find their contact information under their Contact section of their website.

A product may contain a wheat ingredient such as wheat starch and still be labeled gluten free because it meets the FDA’s requirement for gluten-free labeling (under 20 parts per million). If you are super-sensitive and cannot tolerate tiny amounts of gluten, you should definitely check the source of ingredients with manufacturers if anything is unclear.

Sample Letter:

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am on a restricted gluten-free diet because I have [disease or condition]. I must avoid wheat, rye, barley and all varieties of these grains, including non-gluten-free oats. They cause an autoimmune response that damages my intestine.

I would like to know if [product] contains any form of wheat, rye, barley, or oats that are not gluten free. Specifically, I would like to know if…

(a) the source of the (modified starch, stabilizers, binders, fillers, soy sauce solids) is gluten-free?

(b) the oats in this product is certified gluten-free?

(c) the inactive ingredients are safe for me to consume? (pertains to medications and over-the-counter products)